Cougars Volleyball Builds on Winning Tradition

The UC Clermont Women’s Volleyball Team has a roster of talented players, but the success of the 2016 season hinges on getting them up to speed, said head coach Josh Hamer. The Cougars have eight incoming freshmen and feature only three upper classmen on the roster.

The first home game is tonight at 6 p.m. in the ‘Cougardome’ (Student Activities Center) -  located at 4200 Clermont College Dr. in Batavia. 

“We’re almost a brand new team,” Hamer said. “All the incoming players were very good high school and club players, but there’s a huge difference in the speed of the game at the collegiate level. However, I’m excited about every player we have.”

With a team of skilled newcomers, Hamer will be counting even more on his veterans, including junior Kasey York.

“She’s put in a lot of work during the offseason, and it’s been rewarding to see her develop into a leader,” he said. “She’s guiding all our younger players and is going to be fun to watch. She’s a really energetic player.”

Junior Sydney Becklehymer is another player to note. The returning libero was third on the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) all-time dig list after last season, and Hamer said she could claim the top spot this year.

“She’s going to be working hard to achieve All-American status this season,” he said.

The Cougars have a tough schedule for 2016 that includes 10 USCAA matches and two matches against NCAA Division II teams. Clermont also faces the defending national champion Florida College in the North South Battlefield Classic at Berea College Sept. 23-24. 

“The team is excited to play last year’s national champion,” he said.

Volleyball at UC Clermont started in 2001, and Hamer said this year’s team will continue to build on the program’s success through their sheer relentlessness. The Cougars play home games in the Student Activities Center on the college’s Batavia campus. 

“This team fights for every single ball and every single point,” he said. “When you come to games, you’ll see just how hard each player plays. They give 100 percent effort.”

For more information about the volleyball team visit: http://www.ucclermont.edu/athletics/WomensVolleyball.html

UC Clermont Athletics includes Women's Volleyball, Men's & Women's Soccer, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Baseball and Softball. The UC Clermont Cougars participate in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). The Cougars have been successful in bringing home national championship titles in men’s and women’s basketball and baseball. In addition, the volleyball and softball programs have been ranked nationally and have been highly competitive in national tournament play.