The Saints have 22 players on the roster this season, including 15 freshmen. Presentation had 14 players on last year's 4-23 team.
"It has been great to have the depth in practice and that just makes our practices so much more competitive," Presentation College coach Chelsey Albrecht said. "You can just see the intensity from the girls and it has been good watching them compete in practice."
The Saints return five players that saw significant playing time last season. Mo Bunney is the lone senior on the roster this year.
"Mo has done a really good job of leading us so far," Albrecht said. "She has done a great job of taking our team and especially helping out the younger girls and I have been very pleased with her leadership so far and we will continue to expect that from her as the season goes on."
Britton-Hecla graduate Megan Goedert is back after a solid sophomore campaign. She was named to the preseason North Star Athletic Association volleyball team.
"She has had two pretty good years for us at PC," Albrecht said. "We are continually challenging her and the rest of the team to raise our level of play, but she has been working very hard and she is looking good in practices."
The other returners include Warner graduate Karly Fuhrman, Northwestern graduate Carly Peterson and Haley Boisjolie.
"All five of those girls saw a lot of playing time last year and we expect them to come in and push for spots," Albrecht said, "but again practices have been very competitive and earning those spots is something that we have been stressing in practice."
Of the 15 freshmen, Albrecht expects Warner graduate Alyssa Jung and Kayla Greene to push for immediate playing time in their first season with the Saints. Albrecht added that junior college transfers Randi Wales and Hayley Hornick could see significant playing time this season.
"Just having their experience at the college level has also made a difference in our practices and we expect them to contribute as well," Albrecht said.
Albrecht has been talking with her team about all the firsts that the program will go through this season. Last season, the PC athletic department was a Division III independent. This season, the athletic department is in its first season an NAIA member and is a charter member of the North Star Athletic Association.
"It is an exciting year for all of us and it is exciting to have that conference tournament at the end of the year," Albrecht said.
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Schedule
AUGUST-27, at Lake Region State College; 30-31, at Spike Fest Tourney in Ankeny, Iowa; 30, vs. Providence University College; 30, vs. AIB College of Business; 31, vs. Ozark; 31, vs. TBA.
SEPTEMBER-3, vs. Dakota Wesleyan; 6, PC Triangular, vs. Mounty Marty College and Dickinson State; 10, vs. Dakota State; 14, at Concordia Triangular in Seward, Neb., TBA; 20, vs. Valley City State; 21, vs. Mayville State; 24, at Waldorf College; 27, at Trinity Bible College.
OCTOBER-2, at Dakota Wesleyan; 4, at Jamestown College; 5, vs. Lake Region State College; 8, at Mayville State; 11, at Dickinson State; 12, at Valley City State; 16, at Dickinson State; 18, at Mount Marty College; 23, vs. Jamestown College; 25-26, PC Triangular; 25, vs. Oak Hills Christian; 25, vs. Trinity Bible College; 26, vs. Oak Hills Christian; 29, Minnesota-Morris Triangular.