Volleyball 8/29/2014 5:02:00 PM

Stars aim to better volleyball fortunes

Steele to make head-coaching debut with OCU

Meghan Irwin has accumulated 956 kills and 226 blocks in her OCU career.

Oklahoma City University will strive to create a consistently competitive environment under new coach Kyle Steele.
The Stars consist of several veteran returners that went 19-14 in the rugged Sooner Athletic Conference in 2013. In 2014, Oklahoma City will look to challenge those national contenders at the top of the league.
OCU has been pegged at fifth place in the preseason SAC coaches poll. The conference placed two teams in the top 15 of the preseason NAIA rankings.
The Stars open the Steele era at noon Saturday against Haskell (Kan.) in the Kansas Wesleyan Invitational at Salina, Kan. For information about the tournament plus how to follow the matches from this weekend, click here.
"My expectation for the year is to be competitive in the top of the conference," Steele said. "The top teams within the conference are competitive on a national scale, so it should be tough. Our expectation is to be competitive with those teams."
Among OCU's returnees, Meghan Irwin finds motivation from pulling in three all-SAC nods, but having yet to make the first team. Irwin, a senior from Arlington, Texas, provided the Stars with 2.17 kills, 0.76 blocks and 2.63 points per set with a .258 hitting percentage to grab second-team all-league honors. Irwin leads the middle blockers, having rung up 956 kills and 226 blocks as a Star.
"We have compacted her swing," Steele said of Irwin. "She is jumping higher and blocking hard. She driven to get that first-team all-conference."
Rachel Gabel has stood out in preseason drills. Gabel, a junior from Richardson, Texas, displayed her all-around talent with 2.63 kills, 2.63 digs, 0.34 blocks and 3.00 points per set last season.
"She has been our most impressive player," Steele said. "She is controlling the ball attacking and passing. She goes out, plays and gets it done."
Kristen Macy became the Stars' most decorated player in 2013. Macy, a sophomore from Edmond, Okla., reeled in the NAIA Mid-South Region and SAC freshman of the year awards. Macy turned in 3.05 kills, 2.88 digs, 0.35 blocks and 3.69 points per frame as a rookie.
"She improved in the offseason, especially in the passing skills," Steele said of Macy. "She has taken her game to the next level."
A closer look at the Stars:

Setter

OCU's quarterbacks will include veterans Hannah Mitcham and Heather Watson as well as newcomer Taylor Chase.
Mitcham, a junior from Fort Worth, Texas, aims to get back to her first-team all-SAC level she established for herself as a freshman. Mitcham posted 5.49 assists and 1.53 digs per set as a sophomore, down from 8.82 assists and 2.40 digs the year before.
"She has had a good preseason," Steele said of Mitcham. "She worked extremely hard this offseason to get back to her freshman form. She is playing smarter."
Watson, a junior from Edmond, Okla., stepped in for an injured Mitcham last season to rack up 5.15 assists and 1.33 digs in 2013.
Steele said of Watson, "She is the most consistent setter I have with her ball location. She doesn't do flashy things, but she hits the spot over and over. That is sometimes more important with your setter than other attributes."
Chase comes to OCU from Southern Nazarene. Chase, a junior from Yukon, Okla., contributed 5.97 assists and 1.13 digs a set last year, but accumulated 9.87 assists and 1.74 digs as a freshman.
About Chase, Steele said, "Adding her high volleyball IQ with her athletic ability makes her our most consistent setter to this point. She sees the floor like a coach, and that helps tremendously. She is very aware of her surroundings."

Libero/Defensive specialist

Kelley Shiels and Tori Thomas comprise OCU's holdovers at this position. Thomas, a sophomore from Norman, Okla., spelled Danielle Robison, OCU's all-time dig leader, at libero last season, but may not be available to play until mid-season. Thomas added 2.68 digs and 0.25 aces a set last season.
Steele on Thomas: "She is one of the hardest workers we have."
Shiels, a senior from Edmond, Okla., will give the Stars an experienced hand. Shiels averaged 1.04 digs in 2013.
"She improved her service reception," Steele said of Shiels. "I can rely on maximum effort from her."
OCU's new faces will be Faith Gerkin, Lindsey Grace and Kenzie McMullen. Gerkin, a junior from Douglass, Kan., arrived with junior-college experience at Labette (Kan.).
"Faith has really impressed me," Steele said. "She will be in the libero discussion. She has been consistent on service receptions. She is the best forearm passer on the team."
Grace and McMullen, both freshman from Edmond, Okla., bring winning pedigrees from the local prep ranks. Grace aided Heritage Hall in Oklahoma City to a state championship, while McMullen played on state finalist teams at Edmond North (Okla.).
Grace could show up elsewhere on the court according to Steele: "She came in very good shape. We haven't found her home quite yet. She brings offensive ball control."
Steele said on McMullen, "She is in the mix to become starting libero. She has as good a chance as any."

Outside hitter

Alongside Gabel and Macy will be Tori Leisure and Chazmin Franklin. Leisure, a junior from Haslet, Texas, has been a valuable hitter for the Stars. She provided OCU with 1.92 kills and 0.48 blocks as a sophomore.
"She has impressed me," Steele said of Leisure. "She makes high contact with the ball. She is going to have a place in my rotation."
Franklin, a junior from Bay City, Texas, may show expanded skills this season.
"She has worked incredibly hard in the offseason," Steele said of Franklin. "She is jumping higher, swinging harder and moving faster than I have seen her in three years. She should contribute at some point."

Right-side hitter

Aspen Healy returns to the court for the Stars after sitting out last season. Healy, a senior from Oklahoma City, provides OCU a veteran weapon offensively and defensively.
"She is jumping higher and moving better laterally than she has in two years," Steele said. "She is hitting the ball really well and consistently one of the best blockers on our team."
Jami-Rae Renwick joined the Stars from Lee (Texas) bringing many capabilities.
"She brings dynamic athletic ability to our hitting corps," said Steele. "She has a heavy swing. I am pleased with her progress."

Middle blocker

Returnee Delainey Messenger and newcomer Holly Randall will look to spell Irwin at middle blocker.
Messenger, a junior from Edmond, Okla., impacts the team with her example. Steele said, "Delainey works hard in practice every day. She makes everyone else on our team better because they have to match her work ethic."
Randall, a freshman from Edmond, Okla., has tasted success on the club and high school circuits. She will look to translate that to the college level.
"She gets bigger, stronger, faster every day," Steele said. "She is a very, very long middle blocker. She has the capability of hitting over the block into the deep court. She is working on striking the ball with more power. She will be in the mix at middle blocker."

Steele reminds himself to push his team each day with a wristband that says, "Always compete, win forever."
"I've taken that philosophy into practices," Steele said. "Drills are set up to compete all the time. We like to be competitive all the time.
"We have to become a better ball-control team. We have some of the offensive tools to be competitive in the SAC. We have to be better in all three phases to be a low-error team."

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