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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Volleyball Kicks off 2016 Preseason
8/9/2016 | Volleyball
OXFORD, Miss. -- With just 17 days until the 2016 season begins, the Ole Miss volleyball team reported back to campus Monday for the start of preseason camp.
Looking to build on the first two years under third-year head coach Steven McRoberts, the Rebels welcomed back nine players from a team that recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in three decades, and an outstanding group of freshmen.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
Monday, the players reported to campus and moved in, before taking part in several meetings throughout the afternoon. Probably the most exciting part of the day for all the players is the unveiling of the new Nike gear. It's like Christmas in August. That evening players and coaches enjoyed a team dinner on the square.
Our temporary home...
Tuesday morning the team gathered in The Pavilion at Ole Miss for their first practice of the season. The Rebels will play all their home matches in the Pavilion while the Gillom Center is undergoing renovation.
First Practice...
While the entire team was on campus for the second summer term, coaches were not allowed to watch them practice, so Tuesday meant the first time seeing the complete squad on the floor together, and their first practice in the Pavilion.
#FIN1SH...
This year's theme is FIN1SH. A sign with the word FIN1SH ... The Future is Now! One Team/One Goal is in Tad Smith Coliseum, where the team locker room and coach's offices are located for this year, and where practices will also be held.
Youth is served...
Leading the list of nine returning players is Fayetteville, Arkansas senior Aubrey Edie, who heads into the season needing just 275 assists to become the career record holder. Edie and juniors Taylor Alexander, Kate Gibson and Lexi Thompson are outnumbered by six freshmen and six sophomores.
New kids on the block...
At the beginning of July, Coach McRoberts and staff welcomed six new faces to campus as part of the 2016 recruiting class. Tuesday marked the first opportunity for the coaching staff to see them in action as part of the Ole Miss program. Over the next week and a half, we'll introduce you to the freshmen class.
Community Service...
After their one practice on Tuesday, the Rebels spent the afternoon learning CPR before spending some time giving back to the community with More Than A Meal. The program meets every Tuesday that public schools are in session and helps provide people of Oxford with good food, encouragement and a sense of community. Each week includes a warm meal, fellowship, tutoring for children and much more.
Meet the Rebels...
Ole Miss fans should make their plans for 2016 Meet the Rebels Day Saturday. Members of the squad will be autographing new team posters and visiting with fans from 1 until 3 p.m., at the Manning Center. Fans posting on social media about their Meet the Rebels Day experience should use the hashtag #MeetTheRebels.
Speaking with head coach Steven McRoberts...
"Day ones are always about setting the tone and then trying to make sure we are doing things the right way," McRoberts said. "We had great energy out there, working mostly on ball control. It was a low-impact practice, but we were on the court for about three hours. They were on their feet a lot, but they kept their spirits and energy up, which is what we like to see. We did a lot of instruction on doing things the right way technique-wise and bringing our freshmen up to speed on some things that we do with our defense."
McRoberts on the freshmen...
"It's day one, and we didn't do a lot of competitive things, but we knew what to expect with each of them. We anticipated where they would fit in with the team, and they are all going to come in and compete for spots. For the drills that we did today, they are right there with the returners, and that's what you hope happens."
For more information on Ole Miss Volleyball, follow the Rebels on Twitter, @OleMissVB, on Facebook at OleMissVolleyball and on Instagram at OleMissVB. Also follow Coach McRoberts on Twitter, @CoachMcRoberts.
