MADISON, Wis. - The Madison College women's volleyball team ventured into new territory in the 2009 season. They played on the national stage for the first time in the program's 38-year history by defeating their conference rival, Rock Valley College, 15-13 in the fifth and final set of the Region IV Tournament. The WolfPack went on to finish as national runners-up by falling to Brookhaven College, the two-time defending national champions, in four sets.

The WolfPack enter this season as the team to beat in the North Central Community College Conference (N4C) and are the No. 2 ranked team in the country, behind only Brookhaven College in the preseason NJCAA Division III poll.

Repeating last season's success or taking that extra step and winning the NJCAA Division III National Championship will be challenging for the WolfPack as six key players from last season's squad fulfilled their two years of eligibility. However, Head Coach Toby Parker is not focusing on what he had in 2009, he's looking toward the future of the program and his three returning players.

"Losing three of six starters from last year would usually be considered a weakness going into the season, but our returning players and new additions are far from inexperienced,"said Parker. "Replacing our 2009 class and our All-American (Melissa Ernst) will be no easy task. However, returning proven, experienced players like Kelsey Zimmerman, Skye Kapinus and April Testman will be a tremendous help with the rebuilding process. All three were major contributors statistically to our success in 2009."

The three returning players each have their own role in the upcoming 2010 season.

The defense, that has a tremendous amount of potential in Parker's eyes, will look to be anchored by Testman, who established herself as one of the top middle blockers in the country. The middle blocker led the team last season with 77 blocks and Coach Parker is counting on her to be a presence offensively as well.

The leadership void is looked to be filled by Zimmerman, who plays opposite. She brings the right combination of skill, commitment and dedication to the court. Parker believes that her hard work and commitment to her health in the offseason has her poised for a breakout season.

With her two teammates providing defensive and leadership roles, the WolfPack will look for Kapinus to match her ability to lead a balanced attack into November. She had a breakout season last year and earned a spot on the NJCAA Division III All-Tournament Team for her stellar play in the national tournament. Keep your eyes peeled for Kapinus to raise the bar even higher in 2010.

One of the WolfPack's strengths this year according to Parker is their roster depth. The depth will be counted on to compliment the three returning players from last season's championship-calibur team. The newcomers will also need to help fill the void left by the all-time assists leader at Madison College  Kristen Klein (1,949 assists).

Kirsten Halma (Bigfoot High School) and Leah Monti (Merrill High School) are expected to share time at the setter position as the WolfPack will have someone other than Klein setting the ball for the first time since the 2007 season.

First Team All-American Melissa Ernst, who will be continuing her career at Judson University, and fellow outside hitter Tami Biesterveld will also be missed on the floor by the WolfPack. The two led the team last season with 269 and 264 digs respectively.

The combination of Ashley Biesterveld (Little Chute High School), Calli Dahl (Deerfield High School) and Kate Jonas (Watertown High School) will join Kapinus as the team's outside hitters. Breakout seasons from one or all three newcomers would be significant for the WolfPack, especially in late October when it's tournament time.

"We have assembled a roster of 12 quality volleyball players that provide us with the necessary depth, height and ball control to compete with the top teams in the country," said Parker. "We feel, with the calibur of athletes we were able to recruit, 2010 should be one to remember."

Key Newcomers	Position	High School
Hannah Schwartzer	DS/L	Madison LaFollette
Ashley Biesterveld	OH	Little Chute
Hilary Frey	MB	Weston
Calli Dahl	OH	Deerfield
Kate Jonas	OH	Watertown
Kirsten Halma	S	Bigfoot
Leah Monti	S	Merrill
Ali Walker	DS	Abbottsford
Ashley Ponyicsanyi	DS	Lake Mills