Aug. 10, 2013
Seventeen Baylor Bears were on the floor Saturday morning to open the volleyball season with a practice at the Bears' practice facility, Marrs Gymnasium. Baylor, picked to finish sixth in the Big 12, will have 20 practices and a scrimmage leading up to the season opener at Colorado State Aug. 30.
Head Coach Jim Barnes returns 12 lettermen, a redshirt freshman and four newcomers to the squad for the 2013 campaign. Senior outside hitter Zoe Adom leads the charge for the Bears returning as team's leader in kills-per-set last season against Big 12 competition averaging 3.37. Adom was named to the 2012 All-Big 12 First Team, and league coaches voted Adom to the 2013 Preseason Big 12 Volleyball Team.
Along with Adom, sophomore Thea Munch-Soegaard returns as the only other starter to Barnes' squad while junior defensive specialist Hope Ogden returns as the team's digs leader with 358 in 2012.
"Unfortunately we only have two starting returners. So there are a lot of question marks that need to be answered," said Barnes. "The good thing is, we're answering them with top 20 recruiting classes the last two [years]."
Prepvolleyball.com ranked the 2012 recruiting class No. 16 in the country while the incoming 2013 class was ranked No. 19. The four newcomers are all freshmen and include Taylor Caswell (OH / DS, Wichita Falls, Texas), Tola Itiola (MH, Plano, Texas), Morgan Reed (S, San Antonio, Texas) and Katie Staiger (OH, Lewisville, Texas).
Saturday morning Barnes and his staff put the Bears through a fitness test and will follow with an afternoon practice. Baylor will have its annual Green / Gold scrimmage Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. before hitting the road to Fort Collins, Colo. for the opener.
