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The Lady Raiders varsity volleyball squad will benefit from a year of varsity experience as well as the added chemistry of returning many of their starters from last season. Rice volleyball, like many of the other Raider sports programs, underwent a youth movement as rosters across Rice athletics featured several non-senior and underclassmen players. As a result, the Lady Raiders went through some of the growing pains of a young team in a difficult district as they finished near the bottom of the district standings. The volleyball team lost just one player to graduation this past season, returning most of a team looking to make a big step forward in the coming seasons as youth continues to be a focal point.
Head Coach David Leist believes that the development of the players from varsity down to junior high provides a little hope for the program moving forward.
“I am expecting a lot from my returners as well as my young teams coming up,” Leist said, “...I believe with my high school staff returning, hiring some strong junior high coaches and having most all volleyball players attending the team volleyball camp, Rice Consolidated volleyball is on the rise.”
