• 2013 Roster
• 2013 Schedule
STEPHENVILLE - After putting together one of the most memorable seasons in school history, the Tarleton TexAnns will now set their sights on new heights in 2013.
The TexAnns finished the 2012 campaign with a school-best record of 23-9, their third consecutive trip to the Lone Star Conference Championship Tournament semifinal appearance and their first ever regional ranking - debuting at No. 9 and finishing the season at No. 10.
Now, Tarleton is set to take the next step of its development as the TexAnns continue to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the Lone Star Conference, as well as the South Central region.
"Every year presents new challenges, different players and improved competition," said Tarleton head coach Mary Schindler. "I am excited about having the opportunity to build on last year as well as the opportunity to establish ourselves as a quality program, not just a successful team."
Tarleton is returning 13 letterwinners from last season's squad, with the only significant loss coming in the middle - All-American and LSC Defensive Player of the Year Nikki McNorton.
Stepping into improved leadership roles will be Tarleton's trio of fourth-year seniors Stacie Murrah, Danielle Barker and Emily Klein.
"We are returning three tremendous student-athletes who have helped produce three winning seasons," said Schindler. "All three of these seniors are capable of earning all-conference honors and are proven leaders on the floor. They are tremendous athletes, but they are also girls I would glady have represent myself and this program."
Murrah is coming back from a 2012 season in which she recorded 311 kills and a hitting percentage of .256 en route to being named first-team all-conference. Barker and Klein each jumped into the top five all-time in assists and digs, respectively, with 1,099 assists and 599 digs on the season. Barker earned honorable mention all-conference accolades.
In addition to the fourth-year senior trio, Tarleton also returns redshirt junior Katie Covell and sophomore Kelsey Raglin - who each received LSC recognition last year. Covell notched second-team all-LSC honors while Raglin was named honorable mention in her first collegiate season.
In all, Tarleton has 13 letterwinners returning to the team from last season in addition to adding a pair of high school standouts and a transfer from Arkansas Tech.
Outside Hitters
The outside hitter position is arguably the deepest position on the floor.
Tarleton returns six outside hitters from last year's squad - Murrah, Covell, Raglin, Ashley Rine, Jazmine Green and Kaylea Beck - who will be joined by high school standout Lillian Carroll and Arkansas Tech transfer Kaitlyn White.
"The outside hitter position will be phenomenal this year," said Schindler. "I thought we were deep over the past several years, but nothing compares to the athleticism, competitive spirit and work ethic this group has."
The six returning TexAnns accounted for 61-percent of Tarleton's total kills last season, connecting on 966 kills with 630 of them coming from Covell (319) and Murrah (311).
White joins Tarleton after playing two seasons for Arkansas Tech, where she averaged 1.88 kills and 1.37 digs per set for her career. The junior from Hideaway, Texas set a career-high 19 kills two times for the Golden Suns. Carroll comes to Tarleton after starring on the court for Ross S. Sterling High School in Baytown.
"There are several potential starters in this group," said Schindler. "Katie (Covell) and Kelsey (Raglin) each saw quite a bit of time last year while Jazmine (Green) was one of, if not, the strongest player in the spring. Kaitlyn (White) is an incredible athlete, Kaylea (Beck) has great ball control and Lilly (Carroll) can play all six rotations."
Middle Blockers
It's not easy to replace an All-American, but the TexAnn middle blockers are up to the challenge in 2013.
After losing their lone senior from 2012 Nikki McNorton, Tarleton will lean on sophomore Meg Umbel to lead a young group of middle blockers this season.
"We won't be able to replace Nikki, but we will have a talented group of middles working hard to earn playing time," said Schindler. "Meg played in almost every match last season. She played at a high level and learned from Nikki. I'm confident she'll have another strong season.
"The other two middles - Cassandra (Cutbirth) and JB (Jasmyne Brown) - are both amazing athletes," she continued. "I look forward to this competition in practice. For us, it's going to be about defense. The ones who can be disciplined and focused on closing the block will earn court time."
Joining Umbel in the middle is junior Jasmyne Brown, who has played in just 17 sets over the past two seasons. In limited action, Brown has made the most of her opportunities by recording nine kills and nine blocks.
Rounding out the middle blocker position is redshirt freshman Cassandra Cutbirth and newcomer Schylar Lands, who comes to Tarleton after a three-year varsity career at Kaufman where she was named all-district and the district's newcomer of the year as well as being named the team's offensive player of the year as a sophomore. As a junior and senior, she was named the team and district Most Valuable Player.
Setters
Tarleton will return all three setters from last year's squad, including honorable mention all-conference selection Danielle Barker who is coming off one of the best setting seasons in school history.
"We have been running a 6-2 offense for the past several seasons - providing us with six attackers - and because we're such an explosive offensive team, it had worked well for us," said Schindler. "With the injuries and the dynamic of our team, we ran a successful 5-1 in several key matches last season. It gave us a new level of consistency by having Danielle touch every ball.
"She is a steady player and brings a strong competitive spirit," she added. "Danielle is just a solid volleyball player."
Barker started all 32 games for Tarleton last season and recorded 1,099 assists en route to all-conference honors. She became just the fifth TexAnn all-time to record over 1,000 assists in a single season, passing Cassie Underwood (1,048) for fourth place on the single season record list.
She enters her senior season with 2,126 assists for her career, making her one of just four TexAnns ever with 2,000 career assists. She is currently fourth all-time and five assists shy of Didi Ebert for third on the list with 2,131.
Also coming back and looking to improve on injury-plagued freshman seasons are Marissa Banda and Macie Walker.
Banda played in just nine games last season - recording 95 assists and 34 digs - while Walker saw action in 11 games with 98 assists and 43 digs.
"Marissa and Macie both worked exceptionally hard to come back from injuries and I expect both of them to come back from their injuries and compete for playing time. Ultimately, we're going to operate in whichever system gives us the best chance to win each night."
Defensive specialists
On the defensive side of things, Tarleton's back row is solidified with senior libero Emily Klein and junior defensive specialist Lacy Hodges.
"Emily is a glue for our team," said Schindler. "She is able to connect with players and bring out their best. I couldn't be happier with her leadership. She has proven she can pass and play defense with the best in the conference."
Klein is coming off the greatest single-season ever by a Tarleton libero.
The senior from Amarillo recorded 599 digs last season to past her former teammate and coach, Shea McBrearty, for the most digs in a single season in school history. McBrearty and Klein are now the only two TexAnns with more than 500 digs in a season (McBrearty: 514 in 2009 and 513 in 2010).
Klein also set the single-season record for digs per set with .491, passing the 21-year old record of 4.83 set by Kim Franklin in 1991.
Hodges enters her third season with the TexAnns and played in 81 sets for Tarleton last season in which she recorded 151 digs. The junior from Gilmer has 290 digs in her two-year playing career at Tarleton.
"Lacy is a passionate player who will always give 100 percent and compete everyday," said Schindler. "She is very athletic and will see the court this year as we focus on solid service reception."
The 2012 season was a memorable season for Tarleton.
But with the 2013 campaign quickly approaching, 2012 is nothing more than a memory and the TexAnns are looking to make new "season-bests" this season.
"I look forward to each and every season. I love to compete and watch our team grow," said Schindler. "This year, like every year, we want to get better one day at a time. We want to focus on the things we can control and give our best effort every time we have a chance to represent Tarleton State University. Obviously in doing this, we hope to make the conference tournament and push for a regional bid."
