During the days leading up to start of the fall sports seasons, Millsaps Athletic Communications will preview football, soccer, volleyball, cross country and golf. The third in this set of previews is volleyball.
 
The Majors volleyball team jumps right into the deep end to start their season as they head to Sherman, Texas for the 23^rd Annual Austin College Classic Tournament this weekend. They'll see competition from Hardin-Simmons University, Schreiner University, Austin College and Concordia University of Texas. Head coach Jaime Fisher, who is entering her 12^th year as the Millsaps skipper, said this year's team has a quality mix of incoming freshman and returners.
 
"We have a lot of great incoming players and a strong returning class," she said. "We're expecting to see some good things. We're changing a lot this year: a faster offense and a different defense, so these next couple weeks will be a telltale sign of where we're going to be."
 
On offense, the Majors return Mckenzi Petricko, Erica Bennett, Morgan Vincent and Payton Passantino, who finished second, third, fourth and fifth in scoring, respectively, for the Majors in 2017. Petricko also led the team in kills, with 271.
 
The team will look to senior Gracie Bellnap to put the Majors' attackers in prime position for kills. She returns after posting 170 assists in 2017.
 
Defensively, Millsaps will be young as they lost their top four leaders in digs from a season ago. Passantino and Noelle Coats return to bolster the defense while Vincent, Bennett and Morgan Authement will be the main blocking threats up front. Millsaps also brings in four freshman in Bella Winslow, Sarah Pehler, Magill Grunfeld and Riley Courser, who are all 5'10" or taller.
 
Fisher said the teams' focus this season is making sure the Majors outwork each opponent they see on the court.
 
"All we're talking about within our team right now is working hard and giving an extra one percent in everything we do," she said. "We've talked about working hard and being a good teammate and that's going to be our goal. When we come in the gym, we're going to leave it all here."
 
The Majors open the season on the road before hosting the Millsaps/Bellhaven Invitational Tournament at the Hangar Dome on Sept. 7 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sept. 8 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.