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• Live Stats: Missouri Southern State
• Live Stats: Arkansas-Monticello

STEPHENVILLE - As Mary Schindler enters the decade mark as the head coach of the TexAnns, she has a lot to be proud of over the course of her Tarleton Volleyball career.
 
Since taking over the program in 2005, she has led Tarleton to seven Lone Star Conference championship tournaments – trumping the two in school history before she took over – in addition to racking up 156 wins, coaching two All-Americans, four LSC superlative award winners and being named the 2008 LSC Coach of the Year to go along with her illustrious playing career.
 
When Schindler's 10^th team takes the court on Sept. 5 against Arkansas-Fort Smith, Tarleton State will look to continue its rise to national prominence with a pursuit of an NCAA playoff spot.
 
"Every year, I think we're going to be stronger and deeper than the year before," said Schindler. "We play in one of the best volleyball conferences in the nation. It seems like it comes down to two LSC teams playing for the regional championship every year and we've beaten those two teams.
 
"I love this team and I love that they are great competitors," she continued. "They aren't afraid of going to new heights and achieving great things. As a coach, that's what you want from your team."
 
Team No. 10 for Schindler features 11 returning letterwinners and five newcomers, including one of the nation's top blockers at the junior college level and the starting libero from McMurry.
 
Highlighting the returners are LSC honorable mention selection, Katie Covell, as well as Kaitlyn White, Kelsey Raglin, Jasmyne Brown and Meg Umbel who all received significant playing time, including multiple starts last season.
 
Also returning for Tarleton are Marissa Banda, Macie Walker, Ashley Rine, Kaylea Beck, Cassandra Cutbirth and Lillian Carroll.
 
JUCO transfer, Kenya Alexander, will don the purple and white after starring for Kansas City Community College for the past two seasons. The 6-4 middle amassed 344 total blocks in her two-year career.
 
Also coming to Tarleton is junior libero, Ayssa Garcia, who transferred to Tarleton from McMurry where she twice set the single-season War Hawk record for digs. Alexander and Garcia will join a trio of freshman newcomers Hailey Roberts, Emily Medlin and Chandler Gow.
 
The 2014 TexAnns will get the season under way in San Angelo at a four-game tournament before hosting Texas A&M-Commerce on Sept. 9 for the first game in Wisdom Gym. Tarleton is seeking its eighth LSC Tournament trip in Schindler's tenure.
 
Schindler's TexAnns have made some major strides in turning around the program, but bigger things still remain in sight for the decade mark.
 
Now it's time to fight for it.
 
"You can't be afraid to fight for the things you want," said Schindler. "This group is going to fight every step of the way."

The season begins tomorrow when Tarleton plays Arkansas-Fort Smith at 12 p.m. at the Junell Center in San Angelo. They will then play Western New Mexico Friday at 4 p.m., Missouri Southern State Saturday at 10 a.m. and Arkansas-Monticello Saturday at 4 p.m.