TACOMA, Wash. - After playing an abbreviated spring season last year, the Pacific Lutheran University volleyball squad is looking forward to resuming a full fall slate, gearing up for Wednesday's season opener after the shortest offseason in program history. 
 
"We're so excited to be playing volleyball in the fall after a year away because of COVID-19," said Head Coach Kevin Aoki who enters his 26th season at the helm in 2021 having won 440 games and 11 Northwest Conference titles.
 
The Lutes played an abbreviated spring season last academic year, facing off against only NWC competition from within the Evergreen State. PLU posted an 8-4 record in those matches, including ending the season on a five-match win streak. 
 
That momentum, along with a strong returning cast is setting the stage for another championship run for the Black and Gold.
 
"We have the largest roster I've had, but it's one of the most competitive teams as far as talent that we have had in a number of years."

Those championship expectations are echoed across the league with PLU picked second in the preseason coaches poll released yesterday.
 
Headlining the returners is libero Halle Hetzler who was the NWC Freshman of the Year and a Second Team All-NWC selection back in 2019. The Kailua, Hawaii native played all 49 sets last spring, pacing the team with 300 digs, averaging 6.1 per set, while also collecting a team-best 15 aces.
 
Also returning is four-year starting setter Emily Dulaney, who was an Honorable Mention All-NWC pick in 2019. Dulaney led the NWC in assists in 2019 while racking up 359 last season, averaging almost 9.0 per set. The Mililani, Hawaii native is one of six seniors who were on the roster back in 2018, the last time the Lutes hoisted the NWC crown. 
 
Fellow senior McKenzie Pfeiffer returns after collecting 73 kills and 19 blocks in the spring and will be joined in the lineup by Baylee Johnson and Sianna Iverson. Johnson was second on the team in kills last spring and third in blocks while Iverson was second on the team in kills per set (2.48) in a debut season that was curtailed by injury. 
 
The Lutes return middle blockers Jazz Alston, Hailey Iha, and Breeze Bartle. Bartle paced the Lutes last spring in blocks (50) and was third on the team in kills while Iha was second on the team in blocks.
 
Torie Takeuchi provides a spark on the serve for the Lutes, collecting 11 aces last spring and is one of seven Lutes that played in all 12 matches.
 
Adding depth in the backline will be veterans Madeline Dawson and Kristin Moniz, along with first-years Sydney Aoki and Makenna Jackson. Bolstering the front row hitters will be first-years Tori Schmidtke, Callie Simmonds, Noelani McGivern, Kailee Efros-Bohn, and Noe Feliciano. 
 
Returners Hope Baldyga and Emily Zink add depth at the setter position while Ariana Wilson will see time as a middle blocker.
 
For the Lutes, this year's compressed offseason has worked to the team's advantage.

"The turnaround time has been helpful in a sense that we got to have competition in the spring so that we are a little ahead than in years past. We still have eight new first-years but the biggest thing about the fall so far is the team is able to form relationships outside of practice. Last year with COVID it was a very tough situation to bond as a team. It's great to see everyone's faces again!"
 
Emphasizing relationships becomes even more important for the Lutes when the squad has student-athletes hailing from seven different states. 
 
"In my 26 years this is a very unique team. We have players from seven different states including nine from Hawaii, one each from Arizona, Oregon, Montana, California, Colorado, and seven from Washington. It great to see so many players from different states blend in into LUTES Volleyball."
 
The Lutes open the 2021 fall slate on Wednesday against in-state foe Northwest University before participating in the annual Puget Sound Tournament on Friday and Saturday. PLU opens the lid on NWC action at home on Sept. 17 against Willamette University,