Huntingdon volleyball opens season in Rhodes Invitational

By Vic Jerald

Sports Information Assistant

MONTGOMERY, Ala.  – The Huntingdon volleyball team is continuing to build. 

In 2017, with a team of mostly freshmen and sophomores, the Hawks put together a 19-18 record and advanced to the USA South Athletic Conference quarterfinals.

With several key players returning this season and the addition of several talented newcomers, head coach Latonia Brady and assistant coach Mary Willis are encouraged by the potential they've seen in the preseason.

Huntingdon opens the season this weekend in Memphis, Tenn., in the Rhodes Invitational. On Friday, the Hawks are schedule to play Rust at 2 p.m. and Birmingham-Southern at 6 p.m. Huntingdon will close the tournament on Saturday with matches against Sewanee at 2 p.m. and Rhodes at 4 p.m.

Head Coach Latonia Brady on the competition heading into the season: "There is a lot of competition in our gym and players are still fighting for positions. At every single position, we are about three to four deep in people who could play right now."                              

Brady on the team's attitude entering the season: "We have talked about being reliable, trustworthy, disciplined and tough. Mental toughness is especially important. Since we are a year older and can handle it, we have put more of an emphasis on the mental part of the game. And the girls are doing a good job of holding each other accountable in all of these areas. I feel like we're in a good place right now."

Brady on playing in three tournaments during the first three weekends of the season: "We open the season in the Rhodes Invitational this weekend, host our tournament the following weekend and then travel to the Averett Invitational the next weekend. We are going to play and see a wide variety of teams and that will help us see what we're doing right and what we need to continue to work on."