Robin MooreOnly one of the 12 Chattanooga State volleyball players has competed in an official college match. That is 6-foot-1 sophomore Kayla Wimpee from Heritage High School, by way of the Dalton State program that ended in 2016.
The rest will begin their collegiate careers this weekend in a tournament hosted by Snead State in Boaz, Alabama.
The first-ever Lady Tigers volleyball match is set for Friday at 7 p.m. EDT against Pensacola State, followed by three matches Saturday: at noon against Gadsden State at Boaz High School and at 2 and 6 p.m. at Snead State against Snead and Bevill State. For anyone who wants to make the trip to see history, general admission costs $5.
“We’re excited. We’ve been waiting for this,” said head coach Janet Tate, who has never coached a college match but has a 487-69 volleyball record since 1997 at the high school, middle school and elementary levels. And she has worked college contests as an official.
The former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga player is best known for successful tenures at Hixson High and Loftis Middle.
Assistant coach Robin Moore has a similar 464-88 record since 1995, most recently at Notre Dame High School. Like Tate, she has coached numerous sports. Both have been involved in high school softball state championships.
And both admit to having been competitive but very cordial when their coaching paths crossed.
“Mutual respect,” Moore said Wednesday of their relationship.
Their new team gets along the same way. At least so far. The Lady Tigers are so “competitive,” Tate pointed out, that there is no set rotation yet. The coaches will use this weekend to try different combinations and see who responds best under pressure as they get ready for the program’s inaugural home opener Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Hiwassee.
Other “C” words the coaches used to describe the players’ connections were “chemistry” and “camaraderie.”
“They had it immediately,” Moore said. “They came from all different areas but have got along great.”
Wimpee said the players get along much better than her previous college team.
“We’re like a family here,” she said, expressing high hopes for continued improvement throughout this initial season and beyond.
One of the 11 freshmen, 6-2 middle hitter Sidney Killingsworth from Ooltewah, did have a season in a college program but redshirted last year at Lincoln Memorial. The rest are directly out of high school, including 16-year-old libero and defensive specialist Josie Jordan from Collegiate High on the Chattanooga State campus.
Also from Ooltewah are Anna Maria Novelli and Sakari Pack. Middle hitter Cayla Jacob and versatile Dakota Rawiszer are others from Heritage. The team also includes Ricki Lynn Bickley from Ringgold High, Scarlett Hamrick from Lookout Valley, Brieana Hemphill from Chattanooga Christian, RoShawn McGee from Tyner and setter Emily Redden from LaFayette.
“I think we have a good shot of going far,” Novelli said. “We’re excited and want to see where it takes us.”
Contact Ron Bush at rbush@timesfreepress.com.