The Raider volleyball team’s lightning-speed momentum entering the 2024 season has positioned them at the top of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) coaches’ rankings. Their impressive 11-0 start is the most successful since the 2019 campaign.
While it is easy to get caught up in rankings and the pressure they can put on players, head coach Kyle Van Den Bosch said, “We do not talk about the rankings at all – we just try to prepare really hard each and every day to be the best team we can be.”
The outstanding opening matchups, including seven victories swept in the first three sets.
Van Den Bosch said, “The team has great players and a great culture, and the players are very good at paying attention to the details of the game.”
A standard of excellence in Raider athletics is nothing new, but given the undeniable fact that collegiate sports rosters can change drastically year to year, it can be challenging to maintain a focused, motivated and healthy atmosphere within the team. Outside hitter Alysen Dexter, was recently named Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Attacker of the Week for her leading number of kills per set.
Dexter said, “The group is all in…we have a tight-knit team that is ready to play hard and compete.”
There is a lot to look forward to for Raider volleyball, but the team is focusing on one game at a time.
“Our goals are to prepare super well for each opponent and to enjoy the journey of this season,” Van Den Bosch said. “It is a special group of people we get to be around every day… We are excited to see where that takes us.”
“Our conference is full of great competition so we cannot overlook anyone that we play,” Dexter said. “We need to be in the moment both to enjoy the season and prepare step by step.”
