By Chris Parker
That group of six includes Taylor Baker, Jaidyn Long, Olivia Freiburger, Emille Ayers, Yoselin Alberto and Ka’leah Cohen.
Yandall on Baker: “Taylor Baker is a returning junior who plays setter/libero. She is an all-around player that will play any position. At 5-foot-2, she doesn’t let her size hold her back from attacking the ball. She has worked hard in the off season to improve her IQ of the game and her leadership on and off the court.”
Yandall on Long: “Jaidyn Long is a returning sophomore who plays OH/MH. She is a quick learner and very athletic. She has been working on her consistency and her versatility in the off-season and will be a great presence at the net.”
Yandall on Freiburger: “Olivia Freiburger is a returning sophomore who plays OH/MH. She has also worked hard on the off-season with reading and reacting and becoming a stronger hitter. She has grown tremendously and has the energy and focus that our team needs.”
Yandall on Ayers: “Junior Emilee Ayers who will be playing OH/Setter. She will also be expanding her talents as she transitions from a setting to an OH this season.”
Yandall on Alberto: “Yoselin Alberto is a returning sophomore that played libero as a freshman. She has worked hard in the off season on her defense and her quickness on the back row.”
Yandall on Cohen: “Ka’leah Cohen is a returning junior that sat out most of last season due to an injury. She plays MH and will be very impactful on her blocking, hitting and serving this season.”
Yandall does not expect any newcomers to the varsity level, but did say there are freshmen working hard to make an impact in the future.
“As coaches, we are trying to prepare our players to have their mindset be their biggest strength so that they can stay focused and competitive all the way through the game. Their energy will also be their biggest strength this year,” Yandall said. “The area I would like to see the most improvement on is the belief in themselves. Believing that they can do hard things, and they can even like it at times.”
Verona opens the season on Aug. 31 with its home tournament.
“My expectations for this team are to improve from last year,” Yandall said. “I’m not focused on wins-losses but doing my part to give them all the tools they need to be successful. Once they see that they have what it takes to be successful then they will be.”
