Lady Flyers Volleyball Family Celebrates a Challenging and Successful Season
The Sandhills Community College indoor and beach volleyball teams checked all of the boxes that add up to a successful 2021-2022 season that began in August and concluded with a trip to Florida for a national beach volleyball tournament in April.
The Lady Flyers compiled an overall record of 20-7 last fall. They were unbeaten in Region 10 in the process of winning regular season and tournament titles.
Coach Alicia Riggan's squad had won 18 of its previous 19 matches before the season ended at the district tournament in Butler, Pa. with a five-set loss to previously unbeaten Butler CC and a loss to an Owens CC team from Ohio that went on to win its third national title in a row.
A win over Butler would have qualified the Flyers for the national tournament as the district runner-up.
Academically, five members of the team posted 4.0 GPA's for the fall semester, including sophomores Mya Mallard and Abby Quick, and freshmen Lexi Allen, Shelby Hull and Savanna Lowery. The overall team GPA was 3.36.
A season that began with workouts last summer indoors resumed in February for the Lady Flyers second season of Beach volleyball. In addition to other community service efforts throughout the year, the coaches and team members helped establish the Junior Flyers Beach Volleyball Club with over 50 participants this spring.
All Hands on Deck
Riggan (252-109) recorded her 250th victory in 13 years at Sandhills with a Sophomore Day victory over Patrick Henry CC last October. She opened the program portion of the evening by recognizing the many contributors to the successful multi-sport year.
"I think sometimes people think it's just the players and the coaches," she said. "I think one of the many reasons why Sandhills is special is because everybody feels like it's a family and they want to help.
"Everybody brings something to the table and that's the glue that holds it all together. And the girls get a chance to build relationships besides the coaches and players."
Riggan recognized assistant coaches Kristin Hylton, Lindsay McManamon and Jacob Marley. She thanked Dr. John Dempsey, Vice President Ron Layne, Athletic Director Mike Apple, Academic Advisor Marsha Apke and Associate Athletic Director Ryan Riggan, from the administration, for their support, as well as the faculty and staff that worked with the ladies when they had to miss classes for games or tournaments.
Ryan Riggan also ran the team's weight training program, served as an assistant coach for the beach volleyball team and helped with social media and website streaming. Among the others recognized for their contributions were photographer Donna Ford, bus driver, Ricky Hill, game day administrators Rick Kruska and Jeff Withers, Daniel Gironda, Joe Steppe, J.P. Easterly and Steven Garner.
Students contributing in various roles included Joey McMullin, Darryl McCaster, Zach Ciboth, Alyssa Bond and Kara Jordan. She also thanked the parents and grandparents of the players for the opportunity to coach their daughters and granddaughters.
Recognition of Sophomores and Lady Flyers Receiving Post Season Awards for the Indoor Season
Setter Camryn Lowe earned All -Region 10 honors in all three of her seasons that included an additional year granted because of Covid. She completed her indoor career with over 1,500 assists. Right side Mallard, a team captain, and Quick, a libero, are the other sophomores.
Freshmen outside hitters Allen and Kayla Sadowski, and Hull, a libero, will have earned enough credits to earn their degrees after one year. Hull led the team in community service hours.
Freshman middle blocker Keke Lawrence, who her coach describes as a "blocking machine", was the Region 10 Player of the Year and was named an NJCAA Division III Second Team All-American.
In addition to Lawrence and Lowe, other Lady Flyers earning Region 10 first team honors last fall were Allen and defensive specialist L'Asia Jackson. Kaitlyn Locklear, a setter, was a second team selection.
Team awards announced by Riggan included: Most Improved – Madi Harris; MVP Offense – Allen; MVP Defense – Jackson; Flyer Award – Quick; Best Pair – Harris and Quick.
Statistical Leaders: Kills – Allen 307, Lawrence 185, Harris 122, Mallard 113; Assists – Lowe 459, Locklear 312; Service Aces – Jackson 70, Lowe 50, Locklear 36; Digs – Allen 304, Hull 259, Quick 238; Blocks Total – Lawrence 78, Swett 38.
Allen, a product of Pinecrest High School, who is the first Lady Flyer to record more than 300 kills and 300 digs in a season, has mixed feelings about moving on after one year at Sandhills. She plans to pursue a B.S. in Science and Business Administration online through UNC-Greensboro with the goal of having her own practice as a financial advisor.
"Taking college courses in high school was a blessing and a curse in a way," she said, "because I had to give one thing up to get where I want to be in the future. I'm really glad I got to do what I love for one more year."
Quick missed the 2020 fall season because of an illness. She was third on the team in digs last fall. In addition to excelling in the classroom, majoring in early childhood, she worked five days a week in daycare.
"I just really love Sandhills and I'm thankful for the opportunity to play the sport I love," she said. "Just bonding with the girls, it feels like a family after the long season. It's helped make me a leader and responsible.
"Balancing the schoolwork, practice and working too is a lot, but I think it's all worth it."
Success in Beach Volleyball Measured by Signs of Improvement Not Wins
Riggan led her team into the second season of beach volleyball in the spring with only three returnees. Freshman J'Lasia Ray, who missed the indoor season because of a knee injury, joined the team.
Still classified by the NJCAA as a club sport, Sandhills fielded the only junior college team in North Carolina and one of 17 countrywide. Seven of its 16 matches were against four-year colleges.
Riggan recognized that the beach game was outside the comfort zone of some of her players. The sand makes it harder to move and jump, but the two-player game also gives the players the opportunity to work on all of their skills.
"At times it was frustrating because they were used to the success right here,", she said, "but beach is so new and we had to play against some four-year schools and Florida schools. But to me, we got better every week and that was the theme for us.
"It speaks volumes of these young ladies that the ones who hadn't played it, have embraced it and now experienced some success."
The team's travels took them to South Carolina and Tavares, Florida where they wound up their season at the AVCA Small College Beach Championships that included a junior college division for the first time. They won their final match, and second of the spring, 4-1 over Bryant and Stratton (WI).
Looking Ahead
Harris, a freshman outside hitter who prepped at Purnell Swett High School, thought the three days a week of weight lifting throughout and in between the two seasons, helped the team physically meet the challenge of playing two sports. She felt that the more she pushed herself the more confident she became.
"It was a big adjustment, but with everything we do in the weight room for indoor and beach it's not a huge transition," she said. "I really feel like Sandhills brings out the best in everybody, making you want to improve everyday.
"Like everyday you set a new goal. I just like how competitive it is. In the classroom and on the court it's a new experience at Sandhills."
About a week ago, the six anticipated returning Flyers participated in an indoor scrimmage at UNC Pembroke that included Coker, Fayetteville Tech and St. Andrews.
Riggan was encouraged by the competitiveness of her team's play and some positive feedback she received from the other coaches.
Some of the Lady Flyers will help with an upcoming camp for the youth of the community that has 50 people signed up. Open gyms will start some time in the summer.
"It's going to be exciting," Harris says. "You don't want to miss it."
C. Bergmann