Georgia State volleyball prepares for new season

By E. Marcel Pourtout, Editor

After a disappointing nine-win season in 2013, the Georgia State volleyball program experienced a change in leadership with the hiring of new head coach Sally Polhamus.

She spent the past three seasons as an assistant at the University of Florida, helping lead the Gators to the NCAA tournament during each campaign.

Polhamus has head coaching experience, leading Winthrop for four seasons and even has ties to the city of Atlanta with a three-year stint as an assistant at Georgia Tech.

“Our family loved Atlanta when we lived here,” Polhamus said. “We know where Georgia State is going and wanted to be a part of the journey.”

Since taking over the program in January, Polhamus has noticed the team’s progression during the offseason. “The buy-in from our players has been excellent and they’ve done everything we can ask for,” she said. “They’re open to learning new techniques and systems while coming to practice everyday working hard.”

The players have noted the changes as well. “We had to learn a new system and worked hard in the summer on individual things the coaches told us to since they couldn’t be with us,” junior middle blocker Eliza Zachary said. “Its really paid off looking at our preseason practices because our fundamentals are solid.”

Pulhamus also has made note of the team’s focus on basics during the preseason. “We’ve worked on serving and passing because those are the fundamentals of volleyball and you have to be disciplined in both,” she said. “We’re serving aggressively but not consistently. There’s a strategy to serving and we’ll have to be consistent with our passing form to run our offense.”

The Panthers return their top outside hitter from last season, junior Deidra Bohannon, who had 388 kills last season. Under the new system, the responsibilities of this unit has grown. “We’re asking them to do a lot of attacking and passing in six rotations,” said Polhamus. “We’re working to make them smarter hitters while being more consistent.”

Bohannon adds that “I have more responsibilities and attention to detail in this system with the expectations being raised with the coaching change.”

In the middle positions, juniors Kitan Ajanaku and Eliza Zachary will lead the charge with a combined 471 kills and 149 blocks between the two of them last year. “Our middles are dynamic and a fun group to work with,” Polhamus said. “All of them are explosive and have physicality.”

The Panthers look to incorporate two new setters into the rotation with incoming freshman Sydney Mauer and sophomore transfer Annie Ellis.

Incumbent libero Gabby Serafin returns for her junior season and had 223 digs last season. Mauer looks to be in the rotation as well as sophomore Molly Shonk who is transitioning from outside hitter into defensive specialist.

“Its a whole new world and I’m eager to learn new things,” Shonk said. “Defense is about having the attitude that the hitter on the other side isn’t going to beat you and nothing is touching my floor.”

The confidence within the Panthers has risen through the preseason.

“We have versatile players who can play multiple positions which will benefit us during the long season,” Zachary said. Bohannon adds that “the attitude has gotten better and everyone is buying into what the coaches are doing with the system when in the past it was a struggle getting everyone on the same page.”

Georgia State will spend the majority of late August and September on the road in weekend tournament in non-conference action. “Those games will allow us extra time to know each other and gel,” Zachary said. Shonk adds that “I want to see my team stick together as a unit and our new techniques translate into competition.”

Polhamus concludes that the schedule is difficult and has a good balance of teams.  “Our players are excited about the opportunity to take care of academics and be focused on the road.”

The Panthers open the 2014 campaign this Friday against Samford and Jacksonville State in Birmingham, Ala.