In her first year as head coach of the Montezuma-Cortez volleyball team, Andi Pickens led the Panthers to their first winning season since 2010.
Now, entering her second season with assistant coaches Valorie Bauer and Janee Crockett, Pickens will look to improve on last year’s 13-11 record.
“Our goal is always, in a winning sense, making the state playoffs,” Pickens said. “But we also want to progress as players.”
The Panthers return all but two of last year’s varsity players, losing Abby Chupp and Naomi Pinnecoose to graduation.
Returners include, seniors Laurel Chappell and Kristin Pierce, juniors Danielle McDonald, Rylee Lindsley, Skylar Robinson, Kaila Carver and sophomores Tyra Pinnecoose and Hannah Carver.
As a first-team all-conference selection in 2014, Pickens believes Chappell’s play will be key to the Panthers’ success.
“Laurel is so versatile,” Pickens explained. “She can hit and set, so we use her all over.”
She also expects the team to lean on Chappell and fellow senior Pierce as team leaders.
“She’s one of our seniors, along with Kristin Pierce, who is one of our big hitters,” she said. “So we rely on them.”
The Panthers’ first game is Tuesday, Sept. 1 against Bayfield. It will be the first competition in the new M-CHS gymnasium, with the C-team and junior varsity games beginning at 5 p.m. and varsity at 6:30 p.m.