UTC Mocs logoAs Travis Filar enters his third season heading the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga volleyball program, he is starting to feel he has the pieces in place to challenge for a championship.
“I love where this team is at,” Filar said Tuesday after practice. “For the first time, everything we’re trying to do — from our offensive system to our blocking and defensive system — every kid in the gym can do what we’re asking them to do. And that hasn’t always been the case.
“Teams in the past have worked like crazy and worked hard but at times couldn’t do what we’re trying to do. Now finally we have the personnel at every position to do what we want them to do. This group is more talented than groups we’ve had in the past but is still working just as hard as any of the teams we’ve had.”
The Lady Mocs open the 2013 season today in Atlanta with matches against College of Charleston and Georgia Tech in the Georgia Tech Invitational tournament. They take on Florida A&M on Sunday. UTC finished 14-18 last year (8-9 in the Southern Conference) and earned a spot in the SoCon tournament for the first time since 2008 by finishing third in the North Division.
With the departure of College of Charleston from the league and the end of divisional play, UTC was picked to finish fifth in preseason voting by SoCon coaches. Filar appreciates the greater respect the program is generating, but he continues to set the bar high for his young team with no seniors and 11 players who are either freshmen or sophomores.