The Aplington-Parkersburg volleyball program has entered the new season with the momentum of back-to-back state tournament appearances. With Head Coach Candace Kleespies entering her fourth season in the position, she says the foundation for continued success has been built.
“We talked about it with the girls the first day, especially in our leadership group, that they’ve set a tone,” Kleespies says. “This year’s senior group is the first group that we will have all the way through as freshmen for us as a coaching staff. The last two years, they’ve laid the groundwork with where our standard wants to be for our program. So we’ve told the girls that hard work is going to keep us there.”
Regarding personnel, the #10 (2A) Falcons are in good shape offensively with four of last year’s top five kill leaders returning. Outside hitter Kolbie Wangsness, right side hitter Jenzen Klooster, and middle hitters Zoey Uhlenhopp and Ava Eddy will give the team a boost offensively. However, the setter position has been a key position battle throughout the preseason after the graduation of two-year starter Bella Buseman.
“This is probably as deep in as I have gotten without being 100 percent sure what we’re gonna run yet, which is a good and bad thing, I feel like, because we have a lot of girls that are in here just pushing for spots. We’re excited with what we have in our gym right now, and we are very deep in multiple positions. That only breeds more competition. So it’s just gonna keep pushing the girl next to them to make them better.”
They’ll begin the season Tuesday in a quad at Nashua-Plainfield.
Candace Kleespies interview:
