In 2004, the Defiance College volleyball team achieved its fourth consecutive 20-win season, going 21-14. The Yellow Jackets now have a record of 91-36 in the past four seasons, as compared to their 25-95 record in the previous four seasons. The 2004 season was a year in which Defiance finished third in the Heartland Conference and saw two players secure First Team All-HCAC honors. In summary, the Yellow Jackets had another successful season.
Yet this season, Defiance wants more.
The 2005 Yellow Jackets look to improve on last season’s third-place conference finish and hopefully capture their first conference championship in school history. The Yellow Jackets are led by seniors Jill Evans (Archbold HS, Ohio) and Julie Steineman (New Bremen HS, Ohio). Evans has made the All-HCAC team for each of the past two seasons, while Steineman led the team in blocks last season.
The Yellow Jackets return four juniors, including Diane Bruns (Marion Local HS, Ohio), Corrie Farley (Evergreen HS, Ohio), Nichole Billups (Cardinal Stritch HS, Ohio), and Elizabeth Creps (River Valley HS, Ohio). Billups and Farley each had an impact on the team, as each player totaled more than 100 kills in 2004. In addition, Bruns was second on the team in assists with 525. The Yellow Jackets’ two sophomores consist of Brittany Cooley (Cardinal Stritch HS, Ohio) and Molly Headley (Hicksville HS, Ohio). With a year of experience under their belts, these players look to make significant contributions to the 2005 Yellow Jackets.
The team is not without losses, though. The Yellow Jackets will look to fill the void left behind by Nikki Retcher (Ayersville HS, Ohio), Mandy Owens (Lincolnview HS, Ohio), and Liz Falls (Bowsher HS, Ohio), as both Retcher and Owens were named to the 2004 All-HCAC First Team.
Leadership from all the returning players will prove to be key to the Yellow Jackets’ success, as the team brings in seven new players, including Danielle Rego (Owens CC, Ohio), an All-American junior college transfer. As the veterans take the new players under their wing, they will also be guided under the tutelage of Head Coach David Kwan, who is entering his third season at Defiance College. Two years removed from a Heartland Conference “Coach of the Year” honor, Kwan’s stress on defense will aid in the Yellow Jackets’ quest for a fifth consecutive 20-win season.
The 2005 Volleyball season begins for Defiance College on September 3 when the Yellow Jackets participate in the Mt. Union Tournament. Their first home match of the season is on September 6 against Heidelberg College, and conference play begins October 4 at Anderson University.
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