After an offseason of changes, the Fort Lewis College volleyball team is ready to dive into the 2013 season.
The coaches of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference expect them to finish a bit shy of middle of the pack when it does.
The Skyhawks were picked to finish 11th out of 14 teams when the RMAC preseason coaches poll and awards were announced Monday.
Regis received 10 of 14 first-place votes and was followed in the top five by Metro State, Colorado Mines, Adams State and Colorado Christian. Western New Mexico was sixth, while Colorado Mesa and UC-Colorado Springs tied for seventh. Black Hills State and CSU-Pueblo rounded out the top 10, followed by FLC. New Mexico Highlands and Western State tied for 12th, which Chadron State bringing up the rear.
The traditional East and West divisions were done away with for this season.
The Skyhawks went 11-16 last season and 7-12 in the RMAC with a young roster that contained no seniors. Former head coach Shelly Aaland was dismissed in April, and former Bayfield High School head coach Kelley Rifilato was brought on as Aaland’s replacement.
FLC also lost six players from last year’s roster – Taylor Heinemann, Audrey Guiberson, Alexa Moser, Taylor Frederking and Ashley Ellis – while Gladymar Echeverria returns after missing all of last season. The Skyhawks also added six newcomers – one transfer and five freshmen – for the upcoming season.
Outside hitter Angelina Pulu of Western New Mexico was picked as the Preseason Player of the Year after earning a first-team All-South Central Region nod a year ago. Regis’ Sage Martinson was picked the top defensive player in the preseason after leading the RMAC with 528 digs last year, and Adams State senior Gabriella Rifilato, Kelley Rifilato’s daughter and a BHS alum, was picked to repeat as the league’s top setter after tallying 1,280 assists last year.
The Skyhawks will play their alumni game at 6 p.m. Aug. 31 at Whalen Gymnasium before opening the season against Sonoma State on Sept. 6 in San Bernardino, Calif.
FLC’s home opener will be Oct. 4 against Western State.
heraldsports @durangoherald.com
