Sophomore Volleyball Trio Featured in Santa Maria Times

The following is an article written by Kenny Cress with a photograph taken by Daniel Dreifuss from The Santa Maria Times newspaper.

Hancock College women's volleyball coach Julio Molina is confident about where his players — all eight of them — are at as the fall season approaches.

Molina's squad is one of several Hancock teams gearing up for the fall campaign.

As Molina was about to head into his seventh season at the helm of Hancock's volleyball program, he didn't bemoan his team having just eight players but he did say that he and his assistants needed to be careful.

"The good part of having only eight players is that we have eight good, solid players," said Molina.

"However, at the same time, while we coaches are challenged to come up with long, productive practices, we need to be very, very mindful of the players' health."

The Bulldogs have just two reserves. "Since we have just eight, they'll all see plenty of playing time so I think of them all as starters, "said Molina.

Hancock will try to improved on its 3-21 (2-10 Western State Conference) 2013 record. "I am very happy with where we're at compared to this point last year," Molina said.

"I'm happy with where we're at athletics wise, and this team has a very high volleyball IQ. I have asked some of them to change what their habits have been for their entire volleyball careers, and they've responded."

Brianna Farley is one Bulldogs player who has had to change some things. The 5-foot-10 1/2 Cabrillo graduate is a Hancock outside hitter after being a middle blocker in high school.

"After a year of playing outside hitter under my belt, I feel more comfortable at the position," she said. "I feel I'm jumping higher and hitting harder."

Middle blocker Gabbi Lecates feel she's also jumping higher and hitting the ball harder than she was last year. She, Farley and setter Nikki Friend are Hancock's three sophomore returnees.

Friend graduated from Cabrillo. Lecates graduated from Eagle Lake High School in Alaska.

"Gabbi's hitting has really improved," said Molina. "She's hitting the a lot harder and with more accuracy."

Friend said Molina and Bulldogs assistant coach Sandy Darway gave her valuable advice.

"They really stressed using the legs in setting," she said.

"I hadn't been doing that. Now I've been able to get the ball to the outside a lot more, which is a lot better for the hitters."

Three Lompoc graduates are freshmen on Molina's squad now — outside hitter Brittany Bolusan, middle hitter Lauren Powell and opposite hitter Rebecca Davis. The other Bulldogs freshmen are defensive specialists Christine Flores and Marissa Rodriguez.

Flores graduated from Pioneer Valley. Rodriguez is a Nipomo alum.

"Brittany hits the ball a lot like Bri," said Molina. "When they're on, they really have a lot of firepower."

Farley said, "With the returners we have, and the way the newcomers are playing, I'm confident about the upcoming season."

Molina said, "We have a really tough schedule this year. For the first time, we'll be playing against an Orange Empire Conference team. We'll be playing (OEC members) Fullerton and Golden West," in the Fullerton Quad Tournament at Fullerton on Sept. 20.

"The Orange Empire Conference usually has teams fighting amongst themselves to get to the state tournament."

As for the WSC, "Los Angeles Pierce is in our conference," said Molina. "Last year was the first year in the last four that they didn't win the state tournament. Pierce and Santa Barbara City College tied for the conference championship last year.

"If we stay healthy and play the way we're capable of, I think we can win the conference.

Darway and fellow assistant K.C. Carnine are both in their fifth year with Molina. The Bulldogs' season opener is at 6 p.m. Wednesday at home against Taft.  

Women's cross country

Veteran coach Louie Quintana had seven runners at press time, including his top runner from most of last year.

She is sophomore Victoria Steller, an Orcutt Academy graduate. Alexis Kazianka is the only other returning sophomore from the 2013 squad.

Quintana's other runners at press time were freshmen Roxie Castillo, Monica Pulido, Vanessa Romero, Valentina Avardo and Kailia Ehrenborg.

Pulido, Romero and Avardo all graduated from Righetti. Hancock will open at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Ventura Invitational.

Women's soccer

Veteran coach Rod Garcia said he has 18 players and, "We have a really strong (starting) 11," he said. "We have some size that we didn't have before."

Returners include defenders Courtney Crowe and Jeneth Bernal and outside midfielder Jenny Mena. Heather Gill and Mercedes Zepeda, both of whom played for the Bulldogs in 2012, are back. Gill is a midfielder. Zepeda plays at midfielder and forward.

Garcia is particularly counting on center back Stephanie Ramos, a freshman who graduated from Pioneer Valley. At press time, he said freshman Lauren May is the leading goal keeper candidate.

The Bulldogs finished 3-14-4, including 1-9-2 in the Western State Conference, last year. They open their season this year with four home games at their new on-campus facility, the first of which is at 4 p.m. Sept. 4 against Ohlone.

Men's soccer

Billy Vinnedge, Nipomo's former veteran boys coach, is the new Hancock men's coach. Vinnedge was a punter for Hancock football.

He has just three returners — forward Mike Gonzalez and midfielders Santiago Martinez and Andrew Murguia — from the 2013 squad. However, Vinnedge said he has several promising newcomers.

"We have a lot of All-CIF players," he said. "Some of our freshman standouts include Osvaldo Aquino, the defensive MVP of the Los Padres League when he played for Santa Maria last year.

"Midfielder Jorge Marin (Pioneer Valley graduate) is another standout. Adrian Diaz, who graduated from Cabrillo, is a forward for us."

Vinnedge mentioned midfielder Buddy Kickler, who played for the Bulldogs two years ago and has returned. "Jesus Valdez is playing for us," said Vinnedge. "He played for Nipomo two years ago, went to San Diego State last year and then moved back."

As for who will be Hancock's starting goal keeper, "We're still working on that," Vinnedge said with a smile.

The Bulldogs' season opener is at home, at their new school facility, at 4 p.m. Wednesday against Taft.