Marshall University’s head volleyball coach Ari Aganus said she hopes to lead the team to success on and off the court in the upcoming season. 

Aganus is rounding out her first off-season in her new position with the volleyball team with personal goals including success across the board. 

“How we define success is different for each player,” Aganus said. “I want to see them grow from the spring, into the fall, and into the next spring. I strive to foster a positive successful culture in which the players can take and apply to their post-collegiate career.”

During the spring season, the team faced Ohio University, West Virginia State and Eastern Kentucky University.

“Spring season and off season helped us set the standard for the fall and years to come for Marshall volleyball,” Aganus said. “We got some great training in, while focusing hard on our culture within the team.”

The upcoming preseason is when the team will officially come together to set team goals and name captains before the season’s start. 

The Herd will also be welcoming four newcomers; these include Sydney Lostumo, a setter transfer, Megan Taylor, an outside hitter, Meagan Camden and Gracie Brumfield, who are both defensive specialists. 

“Each incomer will contribute to our culture right away,” Aganus said. “We’re very excited about the potential each possesses.”

The team will kick off its season with four weeks of road games starting at the Indiana Invitational, Aug. 30-31, facing UT Martin, Indiana and Santa Clara. 

During those four weeks the team will also play in the Georgetown Invitational in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 6 and 7, the Billiken Invitational in St. Louis on Sept. 13 and 14, then travel to Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 17. Non-conference play closes at the Morehead Invitational on Sept. 19 and 20. 

Marshall will face Southern Miss in its opening home contest on Sept. 27. The Herd will also host Florida Atlantic (Sept. 29), Rice (Oct. 18), North Texas (Oct. 20), Louisiana Tech (Nov. 1), Charlotte (Nov. 3) and will top of the regular season on Nov. 14 against UAB. 

“We had a great spring season,” Aganus said. “However, that only lays a small piece of the foundation we are going to be building here at Marshall. The team put a lot of work in, and they all know how hard they will have to work this off season to prepare for August and be the best version of themselves. I am extremely excited for fall 2019 season to begin, and cannot wait to showcase to everyone at Marshall what we’ve been working on.”

Sydney Shelton can be contacted at [email protected].