STEVENS POINT, Wis. – UW-Stevens Point head volleyball coach Lyndsay Kooi enters her second year, the first without the interim tag.  Kooi is excited to watch her upperclassman take charge with a chip on their shoulder and lead the newcomers into the 2019 season.
 
The Pointers return senior all-conference, all-region and All-American outside hitter April Gehl (Hilbert, Wis./Hilbert).  She led the conference in points (645.5) and kills at 582 (4.72 per set), the second-most in the country and a school record for kills in a season.  Her leadership continues to raise the level of competitiveness in the gym. 
 
Also returning is senior and captain Tara Emme (St. Nazianz, Wis./Valders), who was third overall in kills last season (234). She will help to balance out the front row and will bring high energy and a graduated level of intensity to the floor.
 
Junior setter Ellie Adams (Racine, Wis./William Horlick) returns this season after leading the team in assists with 1,076, second-most in the conference.  She was an all-conference honorable mention selection along with sophomore middle blocker Maddie Lawson (West Allis, Wis./Nathan Hale).  Adams has put freshman Maria Scherer (Green Bay, Wis./Ashwaubenon) under her wing and has shown her the ropes in leading the team.  They both bring a different dynamic and Coach Kooi hopes they balance each other out when leading the team.
 
"I need to give a ton of credit to our DS/libero position group," stated Kooi.  "I think that is one of the strongest position groups in our gym right now."
 
Emma Peterson (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) led the defense last year and accumulated 408 digs on the season, second on the team.  Alongside her is Madyson Schroeder (Green Bay, Wis./Bayport) and freshmen Katie Albrecht (West Bend, Wis./East) and Kelsie Belfiori (Merrill, Wis./Merrill), who all push each other to succeed and fight for time on the floor.
 
Junior outside hitter Jamie Schmitz (Cashton, Wis./Cashton) continues to battle back from injury, but is excited to lead the team as a captain.  Freshman all-state outside hitter Mazie Nagel (Stratford, Wis./Stratford) challenges the upperclassmen as she fights for playing time along with sophomore Allison Berger (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Falls). 
 
Lawson led the team with 112 blocks last season and was second overall in kills with 214, as a middle blocker. Other middle blockers include returners Hailey Jarr (Bloomer, Wis./Bloomer), second on the team with 88 blocks, Taylor Keenan (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville Area) and Guresi Mena (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley). 
 
"Their position does a great job of celebrating each other's successes and teaching each other how to get better in the gym," said Kooi.  They all bring high energy and intensity into the gym and Kooi is excited to see them all push each other to the next level.
 
On the right side alongside Emme is sophomore returner Megan Lau (Potter, Wis./Hilbert), who brings a different dynamic to the floor running her many different routes.  Lau saw the floor many different times throughout the season filling in when Emme was hurt.  Also, on the right side coming in are freshmen Megan Schroder (Merrill, Wis./Merrill), a power hitter, and Tabitha Wechlo (Germantown, Wis./Germantown), who will bring a strong block on the floor. Reis Derousseau (Tomah, Wis./Tomah) brings a different dynamic as a lefty.  Depth at the position is a strength of the team.
 
Maddie Williams joins the team as the assistant coach for her first year coaching colligate volleyball.  She was a middle blocker from UW-Milwaukee and Illinois Wesleyan. She has taken the middle blockers under her wing and is showing them how things are done.  "Since she joined our team in April, our middles and our hitters in general have already gotten a lot better," continued Kooi.  "It's exciting because she is bringing different knowledge and new ideas to the team."
 
This season, UW-Stevens Point is predicted to finish fourth in the WIAC standings.  "In the WIAC any given year, teams one through eight can beat anybody," said Kooi.  "You have to be on your A-game every night, but I think it's going to be anybody's game.  Whoever wants it more will come away with it and I hope with our team having that experience being in the semifinal match almost beating UW-Eau Claire last year could propel us even farther this year."
 
The Pointers are headed down to Chicago this weekend on Aug. 30 and 31 to open their season with a trio of matches including host University of Chicago, ranked ninth in the preseason poll.  Kooi is excited to face the tough teams as the WIAC is one of the toughest conferences.  She is eager to see the team's strengths and weaknesses and continue to work on them throughout the season.  Following the opening weekend, the Pointers have their first invitational September 6 and 7 in the Berg Gym.