The boys’ and co-ed volleyball teams will kick off their season at home against Blake on Mar. 21, at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively. After strong results last year, with the boys’ team being county runner-ups and co-ed losing in the county semifinals, both teams will look to continue their successes this season with deep runs into the playoffs.
The boys’ volleyball team has high expectations for their performance this year. Senior Timothy OuYang, a four-year member of the team, said their goal is to win counties. “I think we will go undefeated,” OuYang said. “Our team is comprised of seven seniors so we are all very focused.”
That focus could be the missing piece for a team that came up just barely short of being county champions last season, falling to Churchill in the final. “Last year was hard because we balanced academics and stress, but this year all our focus is on volleyball,” OuYang said.
Similarly, the co-ed team has clear postseason goals for their season. During the 2024 season, the team made it to the final four, a run they hope to repeat this year. Junior Julia Kleinbussink has played on the team for two years, and said she thinks they will make it to the county quarterfinals and potentially advance to the semifinals. Kleinbussink also said she expects the team to have a “positive fun mentality while also staying focused and competitive.”
The upcoming season is especially significant for Kleinbussink because it is the last one for co-ed volleyball at this school. “Next year they’ll introduce a JV boys’ team,” Kleinbussink said. “As it’s the last year of co-ed it’ll be fun to play with [my teammates] for one more season.”
Junior Alek Bargman, a two-year player on the co-ed team, also emphasized the fun environment as a focal point for why he joined the team. “I stuck with volleyball because of [Wootton’s] amazing community,” Bargman said. “My goals are honestly just to have fun and make more friends.”
As for what students can anticipate when attending a volleyball game, members of both teams highlighted their games against Churchill as a highlight for spectators and players alike. “I’m excited to play Churchill again because that game is always competitive and close,” Kleinbussink said.
In addition to the competition level, player caliber will be high, as “there will be five or six committed college players playing in that game,” OuYang said. “People should definitely come to our senior night [against] Churchill.”
That game, at home versus Churchill, takes place on Monday, Apr. 28. Co-ed will play first, at 5:30 p.m., and the boys’ team will play at 7 p.m..
Students should come to a volleyball game “because they are extremely action packed,” Bargman said. “Churchill games are always super emotional and you can watch both teams pour their hearts out onto the court.”
