CMS Picked to Repeat as SCIAC Volleyball Champions

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Fresh off the first undefeated SCIAC season in program history and a berth in the NCAA Semifinals, the CMS volleyball team was a unanimous pick to repeat as SCIAC champions in a preseason poll of the league's coaches, the conference office announced today.

CMS finished the 2021 season with a 31-2 record and had its second-deepest NCAA Tournament run ever, behind only the national championship won by the 2017 squad. The Athenas spent most of the year ranked No. 2 behind Johns Hopkins, after defeating the then-No. 1 (Trinity) and No. 2 (Emory) ranked teams on the same day at the East-West Battle hosted by Cal Lutheran. 

In conference, the Athenas had their first 16-0 regular season and earned the postseason tournament title as well. They were tested twice by Chapman, rallying from 2-1 deficits to win 3-2 matches in the regular season and in the conference championship match, when they won their fourth title in a row. 

This year, CMS returns most of its nucleus from last season's squad, with second-team All-American Melanie Williams the one key player who needs to be replaced on the right side. There is no shortage of weapons, though, as fellow second-team All-American Jenna Holmes is back after leading CMS with 371 kills a year ago and earning a spot on the All-Tournament team at the NCAA Championships. Jackie Jones added 275 kills and 224 digs from the outside a year ago, and Audrey Sawyer added 243 kills and 64 blocks from the middle.

Brenna Bell (157 kills) had an immediate impact on the right side, including 18 kills in an NCAA Regional finals comeback win over Wartburg, while Kelsey Polhemus (124 kills) also reached the 100-kill mark from her middle position. Seniors Izzy Sakoda (75 kills) and Summer Ellis (72 kills) give CMS two more experienced options to utilize on the outside as well. 

CMS also has its setting combination returning in junior Georgia McGovern (861 assists) and senior Spencer Hagenbuch (569 assists). McGovern was an honorable mention All-American and an All-West Region selection, while Hagenbuch shined in several key matches, earning all-Tournament honors at Calvin's Midwest Invitational. Defensively, Dede Carranza took over as the starting libero after an injury to senior Makenna Fall and finished the year with 547 digs (5.02 per set).  

CMS opens its season at home at the annual Pacific Coast Classic on Sept. 2-3, facing UC Santa Cruz, Babson, NYU and Millikin at Roberts Pavilion. The schedule also includes a trip to Emory, when the Athenas will face Trinity and Emory on the same day again, as well as Johns Hopkins, and a trip to the Cal Lutheran Invitational to face UC Santa Cruz a second time, as well as Endicott and Colorado College.

The schedule includes five teams that finished last year ranked in the top 15: No. 5 (Trinity), No. 8 (Johns Hopkins), No. 11 (NYC), No. 13 (Emory), and No. 14 (Colorado College), while Babson, UC Santa Cruz and Endicott were also receiving votes.