The 2022 Kalamazoo College volleyball team will begin its season on September 2, on the road against DePauw at 5 p.m. The Hornets will look to improve off their 5-19 (1-7 MIAA) record from the 2021 fall season. Preseason camp began on August 18 and will feature a scrimmage on August 31 before starting the season.
Schedule Breakdown
- Kalamazoo will have 11 straight road and neutral site matches to open the season, including the first MIAA match against Saint Mary's on September 20 at 6:30 p.m.
- The Hornets' home opener in the Anderson Athletic Center is scheduled for September 22 against Defiance at 6:30 p.m.
- There will be five MIAA home matches this season, compared to four on the road.
- On homecoming weekend (October 22), an alumni scrimmage will begin at 9:15 a.m.
- The final regular season match will also be at home against Calvin on October 29 at 1 p.m.
Roster Breakdown
- After losing a senior and two juniors from last year's team, the 2022 squad will be very young.
- There are 15 returners from 2021 to go along with four newcomers.
- A roster that does not feature a senior will have one junior, 14 sophomores, and four freshmen heading into 2022.
Returning Statistical Leaders
- Coming off a stellar freshman campaign, Ann Lawrence returns after leading the team with 171 kills, 2.31 kills/set, a .156 hitting percentage, and 192.5 points.
- Halley Johnson also returns after racking up 90 kills, 2.05 kills/set, 105 points, and 87 digs in her first collegiate season.
- Returning for her sophomore season in Lizzy Rachiele, who led the team with 271 digs and 3.66 digs/set in 2021.
- Coming back in the middle is Toni Koshmider after leading the team with 36 blocks (eight solo blocks) as a freshman.
Stepping Up
- Molly Horton will compete to take over the responsibilities as the setter after the top two from last season are no longer on the team. Horton had 122 assists, 2.60 assists/set, and 49 digs last season.
- Jacky LaFollette, Charlotte Ruiter, and Hannah VanderLugt will seek more opportunities after rotating last season as outside and middle hitters.
- Josee Cooke and Brittany Miller could step up in their first collegiate season on the outside.
- Rachel Meston and Kendra Guitar could also push themselves into the mix as defensive specialists in their first year.
Head Coach Hunter Bishop
Coach Bishop enters his first season at the helm of the Hornet volleyball program. He comes to Kalamazoo after stops at Eureka College and the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma. At USAO, he had one all-conference selection, five Presidential Honor Roll conference selections, and eight on the Commissioner's Honor Roll. Bishop also has experience coaching club volleyball with H2 Sports Worldwide and Illini Elite Volleyball Club.
Quoting Coach Bishop
"We are a hungry team and eager to learn early in the preseason, already buying into the vision and culture we are trying to instill. We trust the process and training with no expectations other than continuous improvement. With such a young group, it's hard to tell their ceiling, but we will keep working to improve as much as possible. Of course, bumping up a few spots in the conference standings is our priority, and I think it's certainly attainable."