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RADFORD, Va. – Nearly two years ago, the Radford volleyball team made its first appearance in the Big South Tournament championship match since 2001.
 
The Highlanders' late-season surge was spearheaded by a group of freshmen. Those freshmen are now juniors and determined more than ever to lead the program back to the success it enjoyed from 1987-2001.
 
"We are very determined to get back to the championship match this season," junior outside hitter Rachel Wiechecki said. "We understand the tradition that is here and want to be a part of the group that puts Radford volleyball back on top."
 
There is reason for the anticipation. Of the 12 returners, four started regularly last season. In addition, the Highlanders welcome seven newcomers who head coach Marci Jenkins believes could "come in and contribute immediately."
 
"This has the potential to be the best group our coaching staff has had," Jenkins, who is entering her sixth year at RU, expressed. "I really like the effort and intensity I am seeing in practice."
 
Fans get their first glimpse of Radford when the squad hosts its Highlander Invitational Friday and Saturday. RU opens with North Carolina A&T at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The Highlanders conclude play Saturday against Eastern Kentucky (10:30 a.m.) and Kennesaw State (5:30 p.m.).
 
Below are previews of each position and how the returners and newcomers figure into the mix. In addition, there are previews of the teams competing in this week's tournament.
 
OUTSIDE HITTERS
Despite battling an injury that kept her out 12 matches, Wiechecki led Radford in kills per set (2.77) en route to 194 winners. After finishing with the second-highest kill total on the team in her rookie campaign, Cheyanne James looks to keeps things sizzling in her sophomore year.
 
Freshmen Jordan Watson and Megan McKenzie will compete for immediate time on the court as well. Watson is the all-time kills leader in Virginia High School League history after slamming 1,380 kills in her stellar career at nearby Auburn High School. Meanwhile, McKenzie is one of the most versatile players on the squad, who may see time as a hitter and as a setter.
 
Jenkins on the outside hitters: We are a little bigger on the left side this year, which should help us increase our offensive production. Also, our increased size will allow us to block a little more.
 
OPPOSITE SIDE HITTERS
Senior Jesse Miedema and sophomore Savanna Burton are the top returners at this position. Miedema enters her final season at Radford seventh in block assists (142) and 10th in total blocks (152). The Huron, Ohio native cranked a career-high 14 kills against N.C. Central last year. Burton came on strong at the end of last season, erupting for a season-high 14 kills against Gardner-Webb.
 
Jenkins on the opposite side hitters: There are several players competing at this position. With so many battling for playing time, they are pushing each other to be better, which will help us in the long run.
 
MIDDLE BLOCKERS
Look for this position to be much improved this year. Juniors Emma Deininger and Savannah Cantrell are the veterans of this group. Named the 2011 Big South Freshman of the Year, Deininger's numbers dipped in her sophomore season. Nonetheless, the Wallingford, Pa. native ranks eighth in solo blocks (23), fifth in block assists (170) and fifth in total blocks (193) in program history.
 
The coaching staff also received a welcomed addition when Megan Short decided to transfer from the University of New Mexico. Listed at 6-4, Short adds size for the Highlanders, who only registered 224 total blocks in 2012.
 
Jenkins on the middle blockers: We did not get the productivity we needed at this position last year. Emma and Savannah know our system really well, which puts them ahead of the curve. Megan was a huge get for us. Her size alone will help us be a better blocking team.
 
SETTERS
Jena Braden toted the load in this department, averaging 6.15 assists per set last season. In addition, she was the only player to see time in all 116 sets played in 2012. Entering her junior year, Braden ranks fifth all-time in assists at Radford with 1,039. Her 713 assists recorded last season ranks 10th for a single-season mark. Furthermore, Braden registered five double-doubles.
 
The position also features freshmen Rachel Flores and Christine DeVries. Flores dished out a team-best 514 assists in her senior season at Chatfield in Denver, Colo. In addition, she led the Chargers to the Class 5A state tournament for the first time in 25 years where they lost to Colorado's top-ranked team, Doherty.
 
DeVries has plenty of success on her résumé as well. The Durham, N.C. native led Riverside to conference championships in 2010 and 2011, en route to earning all-conference honors her sophomore and senior seasons.
 
In addition, McKenzie may be thrown into the fray in certain situations.
 
Jenkins on the setters: I am very pleased with the crop of talent we have at this position. Our offense should benefit greatly from the setters we have.
 
DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS / LIBERO
Perhaps the biggest question mark during preseason practice is who will step up to fill the void left behind by Katelyn Meeks, the Highlanders' all-time digs leader at 1,506?
 
Freshmen Kelby Jackson and Emma Wroblicky both played the position in high school and club. Jackson anchored the backline for James Wood High School in Winchester, Va. en route to first-team all-district honors her junior and senior seasons. She went on to be named all-region and all-state.
 
Coming off a successful summer where she led her club team to a second-place finish at the USAV Girls' Junior National Championships, Wroblicky was a first-team all-league selection for Northwood High School in Irvine, Calif.
 
Jenkins on the defensive specialists / libero: There are a number of players trying to earn the libero jersey this year. Competition is fierce in practice, and I am pretty confident who wins this position will have earned it.
 
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
A rematch of last year's encounter in Greensboro, N.C., Radford has never lost to North Carolina A&T in their six contests. Behind Deininger's career-high .643 attack clip, the Highlanders dispatched the Aggies in straight sets (25-23, 25-19, 25-22).
 
Members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), the Aggies' 12-player roster consists of two seniors and 10 underclassmen. Aleena McDaniel is the top returning offensive threat for N.C. A&T. She put down 1.92 kills per set a season ago. After averaging 3.91 digs per set in her freshman campaign, Ashley Johnson returns to anchor the defense.
 
SCOUTING THE COLONELS
Eastern Kentucky and Radford will collide for just the second time Saturday morning, with the Colonels winning the previous match. The Ohio Valley Conference members are coming off a 9-19 season. EKU is led by two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection Ashley Edmond. The senior outside hitter topped the squad's kills list with 326, and was second on the team in digs (298) in 2012.
 
The Colonels employed a two-setter system last fall, as Mallori Moffat and Abbey Cvelbar combined for 937 assists. Dena Ott is back for her junior campaign at libero, after registering a team-best 561 digs. That single-season total is the ninth-best mark in program history.
 
SCOUTING THE OWLS
The Highlanders will meet Kennesaw State for the first time Saturday evening. Following an 11-4 start in 2012, the Owls cooled off to finish the season at 16-17. KSU brings back a large part of that group, led by Keyaira Stevenson. The junior outside hitter roped 317 kills last fall, which was the second most on the team. Lead setter Sara Metroka is also back, looking to build upon her school-record 3,210 career assists.
 
Defensively, libero Camille Pedraza is poised to improve upon her impressive 513 digs recorded in her junior season. Cierra Royster and Emily Bean will attempt to hold down the blocking duties after combining for 137 last fall.
 
FOLLOWING THE HIGHLANDERS
Get the latest scoop on Radford volleyball through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Each match of the Highlander Invitational will have live stats. For further updates, follow @RUGameDay and @RadfordVB on Twitter.