It’s hard to imagine that Patrick Henry Community College’s brilliant inaugural volleyball season can be repeated, but head coach Kelly Proffitt is motivating her team in hopes of making it the rule, not the exception.
The Patriots were perfect in NJCAA Region X play during their first year of existence, posting an 18-0 region record (19-7 overall) in route to the 2015 regular season and post season region championships.
Proffitt, the returning Region X Coach of the Year, returns four core sophomore starters from last season’s squad, including two All-Region X First Team selections in Sydney Garrett of Lafayette, Ind., and outside hitter Mikayla Holland of Rocky Mount. Holland’s fellow outside hitter and former Franklin County High School teammate, Randi Robertson, also returns after receiving honorable mention in the region, as does middle blocker Janika Hunt from Martinsville.
Despite losing pieces of the championship team, the squad welcomes several new members in hopes there is no slowing what appears to be a stellar future. A few names are likely recognizable to the local area, including Patrick Country High School’s Kristin Harris and Kaleigh Griffith. Harris, a middle blocker, and Griffith, an outside hitter, both earned All Piedmont District honors in 2014 and 2015.
PHCC also signed setter Torri Groulx from Newport News, where she earned All-Metro Conference last season at Debeigh Baptist Christian School and reached the 1,000 assist milestone during her junior season.
To provide ball control from the back-court, the Patriots added Bryanna Young and Rachel Groves.
Young enters as a utility player as well as a defensive specialist. She helped lead Salem High School to conference championships in 2013 and 2015 and to a second place finish in 2014. Groves hails from Clifton Forge, where she played at Alleghany High School and on travel teams for Rockingham Juniors and New Revolution Volleyball Juniors. Her passing and defensive skills should help her fill the libero position.
Martinsville High School native Emily Martin joins the squad and brings versatility and athleticism having played five sports for the Bulldogs – volleyball, football, softball, soccer, and swimming.
Victoria Hammonds joins the Patriots from Red Springs, N.C., even though she was primarily recruited by PHCC to play softball. She received Most Valuable Player in volleyball last season and the 2015 Miss Red Devil award at Red Springs High School for the best female athlete.
Sidney Coulson adds depth to the Patriots roster. The Collinsville native has never played organized volleyball but is eager to learn and has shown a great deal of progress during offseason workouts.
“Our team has worked hard in the off-season to improve,” Proffitt said. “The team arrived in much better physical shape than last year.” Although there was a lot to be proud of last year, the team is constantly reminded that their season ended in the District H Championship against Northampton Community College (PA), one match shy of heading to the NJCAA National Tournament in Rochester, Minn.
Proffitt knows the team can’t rest on its laurels, “It’s a new year. We can’t rely on past success. We have to push ourselves every single day and work together.”
The coach isn’t the only one motivated to improve. “We were one match away from going to the NJCAA National Tournament last year,” said returning outside hitter Randi Robertson, “We haven’t forgotten that. We want another chance.”
Robertson, Proffitt, and the rest of the crew begin defending their championship at Guilford Tech (NC) on August 23. Their home opener at Collins Gymnasium is a doubleheader August 27 against regional rival Danville Community College at 10:00 a.m. and Lenoir CC (NC) at 2:00 p.m.
