There’s an absolute athletic force on campus, and it’s time to pay attention.
No, it’s not football.
Women’s sports notoriously receive less fanfare than their male counterparts at almost all levels, but there is one team on campus that deserves the utmost recognition. If you’re a sports fan looking for some excitement this semester, look no further than our very own Women’s Volleyball team.
Hosting a 12-1 record, with eight of those wins being total sweeps (where the opposing team didn’t win a single set), the team currently holds the seventh spot in the nation in the RPI ranking, a metric that ranks teams based on strength of schedule and win-loss record. The team’s success can largely be attributed to their absolute offensive fortitude, led undoubtedly by their powerhouse Outside Hitter, McKenna Melville.
Killer offense
Graduate Student McKenna Melville’s successes are nothing short of actually insane, and even that is a gross understatement. As of October 3rd, McKenna has received Offensive Player of the Week three consecutive times, as well as being ranked #2 in the country for Kills Per Set, #11 for Attacks Per Set, and holding the UCF record for all-time kills leader, with 2,223 Kills as of October 2nd. But of course, what’s a kill without its set? Senior setter Amber Olson carries the freight with 493 sets this season alone, a skill that is undoubtedly sets the rest of the team up for success on the offensive front.
Locked-down defense
On the defensive end, Abby Hansen and Chloe Scheer are always on their A-game, with the 6’5″ Middle Blocker Hansen hosting 49 blocks this season, and Scheer holding down the back row as the libero with 155 digs. This heavy defense has only allowed 480 kills this semester so far; no wonder 2/3rd’s of the game have been sweeps.
How do they do it?
The explosive success that the team has had so far this season can be attributed to their determination.
“Our team has done a great job adapting with all possible situation we could be put in. With the hurricane throwing a twist in our plans our team did a great job staying focused on the tasks we had to accomplish. This weekend is another tough weekend on the road but once again our team is determined to stay at our best. I’m proud of the girls I have around me and the team that continues to push each other everyday in practice.”
McKenna Melville.
Women’s sports often go unrecognized and underappreciated, and I believe that attention for our Women’s volleyball team is well overdue. According to Title IX research, 90% of universities and colleges discriminate against women in sports. This discrimination isn’t rooted in lower performance levels (clearly, with the crazy season that the volleyball team is having), but for some reason, sports broadcasting channels still suppress women’s sports. According to USC News, “researchers found that 95% of total television coverage as well as the ESPN highlights show SportsCenter focused on men’s sports in 2019″.
What can you do?
News channels determine their schedule off on ratings and generated interest, so give the volleyball team the platform they deserve by trying something new. Even if you’ve never engaged in volleyball in your life, as someone who has picked up the sport extremely casually recently (and when I say casually, I mean I would get absolutely demolished by the women’s team), it’s so easy to develop an understanding of a game that is so much fun.
The team plays at home next on Oct. 14 at 7:00 p.m. at The Venue on campus. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend your Friday night and support a team on campus that is beyond deserving, do yourself a favor and show out!