Aug. 25, 2004

Recently senior setter Aimee Huddleston and senior outside hitter Sarah Treadwell checked in with umterps.com to discuss the season-opening tournament in their home state of Texas, preseason training and the upcoming season. The volleyball team opens the 2004 campaign against Kansas State at the Houston Invitational on Sept. 3 at noon.

Final 2003 Statistics
By Aimee Huddleston and Sarah Treadwell
It has been a really good summer, working hard and getting stronger. We came in for weights and conditioning three times a week, which helped us when it was time to report in for practice on August 12th, because we were already in pretty good shape. The team was really excited to start preseason but now is even more excited to play. In general, getting back into a routine has been good and we started off in a good place this preseason. It's almost like we were able to pick up where we left off last season, although there are still some things to work on. The freshmen (Charese Baldwin, Jade Brown, Mary Beth Brown, Beth Gillming and Katie Luhrsen) have definitely added an extra spark because they are all talented and are pushing us in practice.

	Senior Sarah Treadwell, who hails from Pearland, Texas, talks about opening the season in the Lone Star State.

Our first tournament, at the University of Houston, will be challenging - just like all of our tournaments this season. We are both from Texas and played there our freshman year and we always hoped to go back. When we finally heard we were going to Houston, we were so excited. We are ready to eat real barbecue and Mexican food, enjoy the southern hospitality and play in front of our family and friends. We always talk about Texas, so we're ready for the rest of the team to see it. Kansas State, California and Houston are all really tough teams and the tournament will be a challenge. Despite wins and losses next weekend, we are looking forward to developing our team. There is still another week and a half of practice and the team will be ready. We still sort of feel like underdogs on a national level, so we will be looking to prove ourselves. After the success of last season, we are hungry for more and want to do better since, as seniors, this is our last year. We know we can have an even more successful season if we just stay focused. Bye ya'll!