After a year with one senior on the team, this year’s 8-senior volleyball team has a wealth of leadership.

Rider’s head Volleyball Coach Alysha Humpert trained the team every day this summer and is excited about the results that they have achieved since the beginning of the year.

“We finished the double tee tournament in Euless Trinity where we actually beat Granbury who is ranked number 6,” Humpert said. “We could never win against Granbury before. This is a pretty exciting moment for us.”

Team members say that the approach to the games this year is different because the players appreciate each game more.

“You never know when it’s going to be your last game,” senior Kiley Beaver said. “I think that the games are a lot more emotional than last year.”

As players say, they are all like a family and equality in their team is something that they are proud of.

“One thing happens to one person and it happens to everyone,” senior Kendall Chamberlain said. “We are all equal on the team.”

Alongside daily practices, players say that the team still has time for some fun activities outside of the sport.

“Every year we have a tradition with Coach Humpert where we have a scavenger hunt. This year it was a selfie scavenger hunt where we took pictures with people,” Beaver said.

Their coach believes this team can achieve remarkable results.

“They truly give a hundred and ten percent in the classroom and in the gym,” Humpert said. “They want to do something that Rider has not done in a long time, and I think they have the potential to do it this year.”