SEASON PREVIEW: Eutectics gear up for 2025 season
ST. LOUIS, MO - The new volleyball campaign for the UHSP Eutectics opens up this weekend as they play the first match of any sport in the new athletic season. UHSP went 4-30 last year, winning one more match than the previous year and ended their season by winning their finale, a five-set triumph over conference rival Harris-Stowe.
As the new season approaches, setter Jenna Brinson is poised to set a new program record for career assists. She enters her final season with 2,148 assists trailing only Kaitlyn LaBoube by 721 for the all-time program mark. Surpassing 700 assists in a season is a tall order, but Brinson has already eclipsed that treshold once as she racked up 797 back in 2022. While the Eutectics return the majority of their offense from last year, they will have to replace Macy Hendrix on the defensive side. Hendrix turned in 467 digs in the 2024 season, good for eighth all-time in a single season in program history. Her 4.21 digs per set were seventh in UHSP history in a single season. While Hendrix leaves, rounding out the defense has been one of the key focuses this offseason for UHSP Head Coach Katie Payne.
Payne begins her seventh season as head coach and discusses the state of her team as the new campaign nears.
Q: Did you see many positives in a four-win season last year?
A: We were so young last year, and though we are still young, we have a lot of our core starters returning. I think they learned a lot about winning and losing and about themselves, so I definitely think we have a lot to look forward to this season.
Q: You're not going to give me a record, but are you expecting better things this season based on what you've seen in practice so far?
A: We are definitely expecting some better things this season. We have added some really solid defenders to our roster and have been really scrappy this preseason. You add in their strong serve-receive, as well, and we show huge improvements to things that we struggled with last year. That's not even mentioning the changes we have had in the AMC, with a lot of new coaches and two top teams moving conferences. I think it is going to be a really competitive season in the AMC. Plus, new this year, we will play each team twice. Anything can happen.
Q: How massive is it that in a season that offers a number of new faces and trying to kind of have a bounce-back season, that Jenna Brinson is still around and can quarterback this team?
A: Having Jenna back this year is huge for us. She has leaned into her role as a leader this preseason, and it has shown in our practices and the relationships the girls have been building over the past couple of weeks. Her teammates really respect her, and it has been fun to watch them follow her lead.
Q: How big would setting the program record for most career assists be for Jenna this year?
A: It would be amazing. Kaitlyn LaBoube, who is the current record-holder and already in the UHSP Hall of Fame, was one of the best to come through the program. Her numbers are amazing, so Jenna being able to break that record or even come close, just shows how good of a player she is. I know it is one of her goals for the season, and I think she will have even more opportunities to make it happen with a solid defense behind her.
Q: Your offense showed potential last year and you return your top four kill-getters from a season ago. What needs to happen to make things more consistent at the net offensively and are you expecting any of the newcomers to be able to come in and be a force offensively right away?
A: It's definitely exciting to be returning our top offensive players from last year. Now having a season (or two) under their belts, they are all coming in with a little more confidence and understanding of what the competition looks like at the collegiate level. I think with some of the defensive struggles and serve-receive issues we had last year, they did not really get as many quality attempts as they could have. Expecting those two things to be one of our strengths this year, I am hopeful that it will make our offense stronger and translate to more terminated balls. We have added some depth on the pins, and any one of them would be able to come in and compete at a high level.
Q: You lose your leading digger in Macy Hendrix from a year ago. What is this team looking like defensively with its ability to keep balls alive?
A: Like I said, we are super scrappy this year. Our roster is DS-heavy with a lot of new speed on defense and girls that are able to make good reads on the ball. This also adds some friendly competition and pushes them to work hard. You can also really tell that the front row trusts the defense to take charge and make plays. We added a transfer in MaKenzie Uribe and expect her to make an immediate impact. Her two years of collegiate volleyball experience shows. She adds a huge spark to the team in her gritty play and outgoing, supportive attitude. It's clear that the comradery is there this year. This makes all the difference in the world, and we are excited to see what happens.
The Eutectics begin the season with six straight on the road starting on Saturday in Peru, Nebraska. They are part of a weekend tri-match and face Peru State and Sterling. The following weekend, UHSP is at the Friends University Quad and play the host school on Friday, August 29 followed by Arlington Baptist and Baker on Saturday, August 30. After a short mid-week cross-town trip to Webster, the Eutectics finally get their home opener against Brescia on Thursday, September 4 at 6:00p.
UHSP will host their annual Eutectics Classic on September 12-13 and then begin American Midwest Conference play just after that on September 16 when they travel to Hannibal-LaGrange.