WILLIAMSBURG, VA - The return of the Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year and the Defensive Specialist of the Year, coupled with a talented incoming freshman class, has the 2006 William and Mary Volleyball team looking to build upon the momentum generated from last season's success. In addition to posting an impressive 22-9 record in '05, the squad finished second in the CAA with a 15-3 mark and qualified for the conference tournament for the first time since claiming the championship in 2001. Additionally, the Tribe finished the season on a strong note by winning 15 of the last 17 contests, and head coach Debbie Hill earned CAA Coach of the Year honors for the fifth time in her career.

While only two starters return ? sophomore setter Kim Mount, the 2005 CAA Rookie of the Year, and senior libero Kathleen Hawley, the 2005 CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year ? both boast impressive resumes and will be counted on to lead the club this season. Even without a bevy of experienced players, Hill feels her team will be a force within the CAA.

"We had a good spring season," Hill said. "We had an opportunity to see some people do some things that they never had a chance to do. Everyone who started for us this spring really didn't have much experience, with the exception of Kim and Kathleen. We were really pleased with the way we played and the improvement that we made, so we feel like we have some strength returning even though we lost some starters to graduation."

With increased opportunities to get on the court during the spring, most of the younger players showcased their talents.

"I think from what we saw in the spring, we have some people who are ready to step up and carry the load," Hill said. "Sarah Long and Megan McInnes had great springs. We have complete confidence in them and their abilities."

Undoubtedly, the Tribe's biggest strength as the season begins will be the primary ball handlers, Hawley and Mount. Hawley set a school record with 616 digs last season, and Mount shined as a full-time starter after stepping in for Natalie King, who suffered a season-ending knee injury at Northeastern on Sept. 23.

"One of the things we really feel good about going into the season is that we are returning Kim and Kathleen," Hill said. "Those are two really critical positions, and we are going to come in with some stability there, which will help our younger players tremendously."

Those younger players include a five-member freshman class that has the coaching staff excited. All five have experience playing and starting at a high level.

"Our incoming class has a very high level of experience at the club level for a long time," Hill said. "They are unusually experienced for an incoming class."

Middle Blockers
Perhaps the biggest question mark on the team will come from the middle blocking position, as the Tribe must replace two four-year starters in Caitlin Geraghty and Megan Eisenman, who were both exceptional defensive stoppers at the net, as well as Carly Huffman. Geraghty ended her career with 472 total blocks and holds the school's single-match record with 14 block assists, while Eisenman finished with 325 rejections. Huffman added 322 as the trio combined to block 1,119 balls during their careers. Despite the losses, Hill is confident that the available players on the roster will pick right back up where they left off last year. It will be a youth movement for the middle blockers, as the group will consist of a junior, a sophomore and a freshman.

McInnes is slated for one of those spots. The junior has appeared in just 15 games during her career and has recorded eight total blocks. Sophomore Molly Bohman and freshman Katie McCarney will compete for the second spot. Bohman appeared in just three games as a freshman but had a solid spring season, while McCarney comes in with tremendous credentials from the prep and club levels.

Setters
One luxury for the Tribe this season will be the availability of two experienced setters, as Mount will be joined by King, who returns for her senior season after missing much of last year with a knee injury.

Prior to suffering the injury, King was on her way to having a solid season. The Stockton, Calif., native dished out 493 assists and recorded 91 digs in 46 games before her season came to an end.

Fortunately for the Tribe, Mount was more than up for the challenge and ran the offense superbly. The eventual CAA Rookie of the Year earned five CAA Rookie of the Week honors as she posted 938 assists, including a career high of 61 in her first career start, which came at Hofstra one day after King's injury. Enormously talented and extremely athletic, Mount has good hand-eye coordination and a tremendous level of intensity.

King was not cleared to run until late June and missed the entire spring season. She stayed in Williamsburg during the summer, working extremely hard in the rehabilitation program, and is expected to be at full strength when preseason practice begins.

Outside/Opposite Hitters
Another area that was hit hard by graduation was the hitting corps, as Megan Hector, Kate Woffindin and Mandy Mayo all graduated. However, a solid core of returnees and a strong freshman class should not allow the Tribe to miss a beat.

Long will anchor the hitters, as the senior is the most experienced one on the roster. She has appeared in 214 games during her career and has posted 541 kills, with 261 of those coming as a freshman. She possesses all of the tools to become the squad's top offensive threat, which was illustrated by her play during the spring season. She saw time at opposite hitter as well as her natural outside spot.

Junior Kelley Kaplan has battled injuries throughout her career and was injured again on the last play of the last practice in the spring. She registered 12 kills and 22 digs in just 10 games a year ago. Her ability to bounce back from these setbacks will determine her playing time.

Sophomore Jill Nowadly will contribute depth to the hitting position. She appeared in just five games last year as she gained comfort with the speed of the game. A Williamsburg product, Nowadly had a strong spring season in which she saw time at both opposite and outside hitter, and that performance has her in the mix to compete for playing time at one of those spots.

Abbi Owens, a transfer from the University of Oklahoma and the younger sister of former Tribe setter Amy Owens (2001-2004), will also be in the mix. Dubbed by Hill as a "big surprise and a last-minute gift," she was recruited by the Tribe before signing with the Sooners. After a year of collegiate training as a defensive specialist and an outside hitter, she will be ready to compete for a starting spot when practice begins in August.

Four talented freshmen will battle the upperclassmen for playing time. Jillian Brown will join the Tribe from suburban Chicago where she had a solid prep career. A walk-on, she will bring great intensity and a great all-around game to the team.

Bryana Carey, from Balboa Island, Calif., has a vast amount of experience at the club and prep levels. She led her club team to two National Volleyball Festival championships. She will compete for a starting outside or opposite hitting position.

Perhaps the most accomplished incoming freshman will be Lindsey Pflugner, from Riverview High School in Sarasota, Fla., where she re-wrote the school's record book. She finished her career with 1,083 kills and 772 digs. She has tremendous ball control and is a very explosive player, and she will challenge for a starting outside hitting position.

Another freshman who will compete for time is Lauren Powell, from Cascia Hall in Tulsa, Okla. Dubbed a "sleeper" by Hill, she is perhaps the most athletic player in the freshman class. A hardworking athlete, she was the go-to player on her high school team and will battle for a starting outside hitting position.

Libero/Defensive Specialists
There are no worries for the Tribe at the defensive specialist/libero spots, as Hawley returns as the CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year after leading the league with a 5.31 digs per game average, ranking 27th in the NCAA. She shattered the school record with 616 digs, besting the previous record by 193. She returns for her final season determined to lead a young team.

One of three captains, the team has tremendous confidence in her ability, and Hill feels that she has yet to play her best volleyball. According to Hill, Hawley's mental toughness and her work ethic set her apart.

Sophomore Jo Sotto recorded 49 digs in 31 games a year ago, and she will be counted on to provide ball control. She has a very good instinct for the ball, and she worked hard on her range during the spring. She will compete with Nowadly for the defensive specialist spot. Pflugner and Owens could also compete for time in the libero/defensive specialist roles.

The Schedule
The Tribe will play 13 of its 26 matches at home, and the first seven of those will come in two tournaments. W&M will open the season in Greenville, N.C., to play in the East Carolina Tournament and will return home the following weekend to host the annual William and Mary Invitational.

The CAA schedule will feature a double-round robin format, with every team playing each opponent twice, once at home and on the road. The top six teams qualify for the CAA Tournament, which is hosted by the number one seed.