COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland volleyball team will open their 2018 campaign, their first under head coach Adam Hughes, this weekend with the Wake Forest/UNC Greensboro Tournament down in the Tar Heel State.
 
After serving as an assistant for the Terps for four years, Hughes enters his first year as head coach with a team that narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament the year prior. The preseason has been spent learning and meshing as a group, mixing the youth with the experience and trying to build off last season's 18-14 record.
 
"The group came in this year with a lot of predetermined focus," said Hughes. "There's been a lot of teaching happening, trying to get everyone on the same page. The intensity has been good and the execution is getting better every day."
 
On a young team with five new pieces, leadership is key. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Katie Myers and senior outside hitter Liz Twilley have emerged as two of the leaders on this 2018 team.
 
"We have pretty good leadership in the locker room," said Hughes. "There's a variety of classes but people in leadership positions in all of those classes. Katie Myers has done a phenomenal job in trying to keep everyone moving in the same direction. Liz Twilley is another person who's done a good job of showing by example."
 
NEWCOMERS
 
The Terps will welcome five newcomers to Hughes' first team at Maryland, three freshmen and two transfers. Middle blocker Rainelle Jones was the lone newcomer committed before the spring. Outside hitters Emma Schriner and Hailey Rubino, setter Nicole Alford and DS/libero Allegra Rivas all joined the program after Hughes was named head coach.
"When adding new members of our team this spring, we wanted to bring in players to help the current team but we wanted to give the players a say if this was the right fit for the culture. I think we've definitely found a good blend."
 
Jones, Schriner and Rivas come in as freshman while Alford and Rubino have one year of experience under their belt. Alford had four matches with 20 or more assists at Georgia Tech last season while Rubino finished fourth on the team in kills (178, 1.78/set) and digs (216, 2.16/set) with New Mexico.
 
POSITION BREAKDOWN
 
The Terps return key pieces at every position from last year's team. However, the back row is where Hughes believes the team has the most depth. 
 
"We probably have four true DS/libero's and they're constantly competing," said Hughes. "It's definitely one of our strengths and I'm excited for this group. The group has a good mix of young and old with Abby (Bentz) being a senior, Nell (Drummey) a junior, Burg (Samantha Burgio) being a sophomore and Allegra (Rivas) being a freshman. It's kind of nice for us."
 
Senior Abigail Bentz will play a mix of the DS/libero and setter. Shuffling around is no change for Bentz, who has played a plethora of positions throughout her three seasons in College Park.

"Abby's done a really good job for us being our utility player for the last four years," said Hughes. "When we had injuries in her first year she played at outside hitter and then she moved to the libero position, went into setting last year. She does whatever the program needs her to do."
 
Juniors Samantha Snyder and Taylor Smith as well as Alford and sophomore Chloe Prejean will join Bentz at the setter position, giving the Terps more depth and experience at that position than in the past few seasons.
 
The attack will be led by redshirt sophomore Katie Myers and sophomores Erika Pritchard and Jada Gardner. Myers suffered an injury last season, shortening her season but Pritchard had a sensational freshman season leading the Big Ten with 48 service aces and 0.42 aces per set and tallying double-digit kills in 20 matches.
 
"Erika was a little banged up in the spring but she's gotten better with her first touch and better with her defense," said Hughes. "She's no doubt becoming a better all-around player."
 
Twilley is another player that will provide value for this year's team on the outside and has stood out to Hughes during camp.
 
"I'm really proud of Lizzy," said Hughes. "She's had a really good camp and has embraced her role. She always puts in one hundred percent while also working hard to make everyone around her better."
 
SCHEDULE

Maryland will play in four nonconference tournaments before beginning Big Ten play on September 19 against Rutgers. Trips to North Carolina, Akron and Temple are bookended by the Maryland Invite on September 8-9 in College Park.

The nonconference schedule is highlighted by games against South Carolina, Wake Forest, Temple and 2017 NCAA Tournament teams Princeton and Stony Brook. The Terps opener, down in Winston Salem against Wake Forest, provides a big test right off the bat.

"We're going to kick off with a good Wake team that has a deep roster," said Hughes. "They continue to get better year-by-year and play in a big conference as well so to see someone from a Power Five right off the bat. We'll get a good run at Wake Forest."

The Big Ten features some of the nation's best teams with defending national champion Nebraska, Minnesota, Penn State and Wisconsin being ranked in the top ten of the AVCA Preseason Poll. After winning a program best seven conference games last season, the expectation is raised heading into year five in the Big Ten.

"Every year we get a little bit better at raising our expectations on what we want to achieve in the conference," said Hughes. "Everyone in the conference is getting better from the top down. There's not really an easy match in the conference."
 
Through all the preseason work, practice and preparation, it's now time for the Terps to play someone else. The Adam Hughes era of Maryland Volleyball will begin on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Wake Forest.