Panther volleyball team heads to state tournament
November 1, 2016 | By Kristi Sorrow
The Panther volleyball team after their win against Miami-Dade College on Oct. 24.
The Panther volleyball team will head to the NJCAA District/FCSAA State Volleyball Tournament this week after winning the Division I Southern Conference Championship for the first time in 11 years.
This year's team had their best season in the program's history with a 22-4 overall record and 7-1 in Southern Conference regular season play. They are currently ranked fourth in the state and have been ranked in the top 20 nationally throughout the season.
"I am ecstatic by how well we have played," said Drew Colvin, who is in his first season as head coach. "We surpassed everyone's expectations."
Colvin and his team will face off against Santa Fe College in the first match of the state tournament at 1 p.m. Nov. 4 in Bradenton, Fla.
According to Colvin, the team's strategy for the game will be to serve tough, play solid defense and run a very fast offense.
"We don't have one big strong hitter on the team," said Colvin. "Everyone works together so well and that has been a huge part of our success."
The team clinched the Southern Conference Championship title after a win against Miami-Dade College on Oct. 24. The last time the team took home the title was in 2005, where they tied for first place.
Last year, the team went to the state tournament as the second place winners in the Southern Conference Championships. However, two match losses in the second day of tournament play kept them out of contention for nationals.
All of the NJCAA District/FCSAA state volleyball tournament games will be broadcast on the FCSAA YouTube Channel. The NJCAA Division I volleyball championship will be held Nov. 17-19 in Casper, Wyo.