The North Platte Community College women’s volleyball team is gearing up for its first season at the NJCAA Division I level, and head coach Alexa McCall couldn’t be more excited about the challenge ahead.
“This is my favorite time of year,” McCall said during Media Day. “Now it’s go time, we’re just excited to get everyone on the floor and start developing those relationships.”
The Knights return six players from a 14-21 squad that came up just short of a Region IX title last season, including sophomore Zoe Maher. For Maher, the heartbreak of falling to Central Community College in the championship has fueled the offseason.
“It was a tough loss,” Maher said. “But it taught us what we needed to do better for this year.”
The move to D1 comes with a familiar schedule, as NPCC already faced several top-tier programs last season. McCall says that experience combined with a strong incoming freshman class and better roster health has her team prepared to take the next step.
“Injuries caught up to us late last year,” McCall said. “We’ve adjusted the schedule to ease into competition a bit more and keep our players fresh.”
Maher, stepping more into a leadership role, says she's emphasized confidence and communication to the freshmen, two keys she believes will set the tone early.
“Everyone has something to contribute,” Maher said. “We just need to play like it.”