MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – When
Steve Hendricks took over as volleyball coach at Barry University, the first recruiting call he made was to
Jasmine Serna. Now he is calling on her again to lead the Buccaneers in the 2015 season.
Serna, who has been a part of two 17-win teams in her three years at Barry, has been moved around from a primary setting role to a libero and defensive specialist. She's shared setting duties, orchestrated the ball control and defense of the offense and even had her occasional crack at putting away balls. This year as she begins her fourth year with the Bucs, she'll be counted on to lead. As will a few others. Of course, leadership is the quality the Bucs are seeking as they chase their ultimate conquest – a national tournament berth.
"I feel pretty good about how we're going into it," Hendricks said. "I like the maturity of our team, and I like the senior leadership. What we're going to be focused on is playing well as a team, and competing at a very high level."
With five starters back, Barry is optimistic about the season, which begins Sept. 4 against West Alabama at Lynn University's Boca Raton Classic. The Bucs return starters at the middle blocking, setting, right side hitter and libero positions. Coupled with the addition of three junior college transfers, Barry believes it is on the brink of something special.
Serna and
Jenny Trinidad occupy the setting positions, while middles
Ivana Didanovic and
Laine Cielena, hitter
Eva Raat and libero
Brittany Jaco – all who were significant starters a year ago -- are experienced returners. Add to that the return of
Katie Dooley and defensive specialists
Paola Buitrago and
Amanda Brill, and this Bucs team is equipped with veterans who've been through the system. Serna, Cielena and Dooley are in their fourth year with the program. Jaco is a second-year Buccaneer who will also be finishing her career in Miami Shores.
Newcomers
Jaeda Allen,
Kaitlin Drake and
Silvia Galeano, all hitters with marquee junior college experience, bring a punch to the offense Hendricks has been seeking.
Ariel Mangum, who has solid junior college experience herself, and freshmen
Kat Espinosa and
Arianne Matthew, all fortify the defensive side of the ball. Matthew, who was with the Bucs in the spring, also may be used in a hitting capacity.
Last year, the Buccaneers went 17-12 overall, 7-9 in the Sunshine State Conference. Injuries and a late-season hiccup prevented the Bucs from qualifying for their first postseason since 2010. That is the quest this year, and the Bucs believe they have the team to deliver.
"Going into the Sunshine State Conference, it's extremely tough, and we've got to play every night against a good team," Hendricks said. "To get into the (NCAA) regional, we have to do well every night in the conference."
The top eight teams in each of the country's eight regions qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
"Our team realized last year that every match is important, but yet we lost a couple at the end of the year that really hurt us getting into the regionals," Hendricks said. "So I know the team is very motivated. They were really frustrated and irritated at how they ended the season last year with a loss to Nova Southeastern at the very end, which didn't help us getting into regionals. So their motivation and our motivation is very high, and I think that's the biggest lesson we've learned from last year."
Didanovic is the leading returning hitter and blocker after putting away 152 balls and totaling 87 blocks in 2014. Cielena had 129 kills and 71 blocks, both of which rank second among returners. Raat had 91 kills before missing the last half of the season with an injury. Serna, who played in a team-high 102 sets, splitting time as a setter and back row specialist, had 430 assists and 257 digs. Trinidad led the Bucs with 616 assists, and had 163 digs. Jaco had a team-best 349 digs.
Allen and Galeano played for teams that competed against each other in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Championship match last year. Both come in as talented hitting specialists whom Hendricks is counting on to add offensive versatility. Drake adds even greater depth at the net, and gives the Bucs more options to throw at defenses.
Twice in Hendricks' four years, Barry has won 17 matches. Can the Bucs take the next step in 2015?
"The big focus is getting to the NCAAs," Hendricks said. "This year we're only playing 26 matches. A benchmark that I have is 20 or plus wins every year, so we've gotten somewhat close with the 17 wins. I think it will be tough with 26 matches to get 20 wins, but I like the confidence of my team, I like the ability, and I think we're going to do well when we get out there in the SSC."
Ball control is something Hendricks preaches year-in and year-out. This year is no different. He believes his team is even more adept in the passing game with the addition of new players and return of Serna and Jaco. Even while he addressed the team's hitting needs, Hendricks also believes he augmented his passing game.
"Our passing and defense should be solid," he said.
One of the areas Hendricks has tinkered with over his four years is the setting role. Serna came in to college as a setter, but has moved around to different spots on the floor. Having Trinidad in the mix afforded Barry the option to move Serna to the back row, while also sharing setting duties at different times. Coupled with Jaco's reputation as a back row specialist, Hendricks has had versatility to make adjustments. This year, he plans to take advantage of his flexibility in a 6-2 offense, where both setters will see the floor. Serna enters the season expected to handle a prominent role in running the offense.
"We also have the size in the front row with our hitters that we can substitute our hitters for one of our setters," Hendricks said. "Jenny is a great setter. She can run a 5-1 very well. Jas is a great setter and a good libero, but with the makeup of our team, I think it's an advantage to run a 6-2, getting taller and more powerful hitters in the front row.
"The teams that do really well have good hitters on the outside, and the three we brought in are accomplished hitters. They've done really well at their previous school, but they bring that ball control, the shots and the power. Ariel, Silvia, Jaeda and Kaitlin all bring in a lot of maturity and experience. Katherine Espinosa, she's a very fast athlete with good ball control, and very competitive. Our chemistry, I think will work very well because we bring in a lot of mature, talented volleyball players. Katherine can hold her own as a volleyball player, so I think with our seniors and juniors, and bringing in these six new players, it's going to be a good mix."
More than a good mix, this is the last chance for a few, who by season's end, will have gone through the Barry system from start to finish. Serna, Dooley and Cielena are all in their final years at Barry in what is considered Hendricks' first full class. Achieving something none of their other teams have been able to accomplish is exactly what they're seeking.
"I think it means a lot because when I recruited them, I talked about rebuilding the program," Hendricks said. "I think each year we've gotten better, and they're motivated to do the best this year. Jasmine was my first recruit. Laine, Kate Dooley have done a great job in the middle. It means a lot to them, and it means a lot to me to finally have all my players here that I've recruited. I'm excited about a great fall.
"I'm extremely hungry. I was really disappointed, as the team was, not making the NCAA Tournament last year. That is our No. 1 focus. I know our senior class wants to do really well, and what we've brought in through recruiting, I think the pieces are there to have a really good year."
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