Expectations for the Lewis-Clark State College volleyball team are high—and with good reason.

Five straight Frontier Conference regular season titles mean the Warriors expect to be in the running for a sixth straight crown. Five straight appearances at the NAIA national tournament mean a sixth consecutive appearance is written without hesitation on the team's to-do list. And having head coach LaToya Harris settle in to her second season at the helm—with 10 solid returners and six standout recruits on the roster—means that the sky is the limit in 2012.

“I think that with everyone having a year under their belt of understanding what I expect, we’ll be able to mold together and learn a lot earlier,” Harris said. “I’m excited. We have a great group of girls and they’re working really hard. I think we can do very well this year as long as we continue on the right path.”

The possibility to do “very well this year” might be an understatement as the team will look to improve upon its outstanding 2011 campaign. Last year the team went 23-6 overall with a 13-1 mark in league play, and also went 2-2 to finish tied for ninth at the national tournament. The team ended the season ranked No. 10 in the NAIA postseason poll.

One challenge this year will be the team's youth as the roster is composed of four freshmen, six sophomores, four juniors, and just two seniors. Another obstacle will be the fact that the Warriors begin the season with a big target on their back thanks, in part, to being ranked No. 8 in the NAIA preseason poll. The program was also chosen as the favorite to win the conference title. 

Frontier rival Rocky Mountain College, which upset LCSC in last year’s conference tournament title match and was ranked No. 7 in the preseason poll, will also have a target on its back. However, though the Warriors have obvious reason to pay special attention to the Battlin’ Bears, Harris’ goal is that her team prepares for and plays every match with the same high level of intensity regardless of the opponent.

“If we just focus on one team, that’s when upsets occur,” said Harris. “Every team is important to us, so every time we step on the court against any opponent we’re going to push and fight 110 percent.”

A one-match-at-a-time kind of focus will be helpful for the Warriors because their schedule will once again bring a host of challenges.

“We have a competitive schedule this year, and I wouldn’t have made it if I didn’t believe that this team can do well with that schedule. It’s going to be exciting.”

The slate will begin with a trip to a College of Idaho tournament in Caldwell, Idaho, on Aug. 17-18. The team will play four matches during the event including one against in-state rival College of Idaho and one against No. 10-ranked Vanguard University (Calif.).

After this, the team will travel to La Mirada, Calif., and participate in the Biola Holiday Inn Summer Slam. There the Warriors face four different teams including No. 5 Biola, No. 23 Cal State San Marcos, and No. 24 Westmont.

“It will be a great tournament,” Harris said. “It’s nationals type play there.”

With two tournaments under their belt, the Warriors will then jump right into conference play with home matches against Great Falls on Sept. 7 and Montana Tech on Sept. 8.

In all, LCSC will play 15 conference matches this season, which is one more than previous years. The additional match will be against Dickinson State University, which enters its first season as a conference member. The Warriors will play the Dickinson, N.D., school just one time this year, a home match on Oct. 25.

Once regular-season play wraps up, the Warriors will play in the conference tournament in Butte, Mont., on Nov. 9-10 with hopes of advancing to the NAIA national championship in Sioux City, Iowa, on Nov. 27-Dec. 1.

Last year the team went 2-1 to advance past pool play at nationals before falling in five sets to then-ranked No. 6 Azusa Pacific in the first round of bracket play. Harris says the trick to getting past a team like Azusa and pushing deeper into the tournament will be to keep the nerves in check.

“I think at the time we played Azusa we tensed up and were trying too hard. When you’re tense you can’t relax and play your normal game, so we just have to keep control and stay with the game plan we have set.” 

--The full version of the 2012 outlook, which includes a position-by-position breakdown, can be found inside the LCSC volleyball souvenir program--  

2011 outlook

2010 outlook

2009 outlook

2008 outlook

2007 outlook

2006 outlook