Depth A Plus For UCO Hitters

As the 2021 volleyball season fast approaches for Central Oklahoma, it's time to start taking a closer look at each position to see which players will help keep the Bronchos among the top contenders in the ultra-tough Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.

UCO opened six straight days of twice daily practices Monday as it looks to return to the court for the first time in nearly two years. The international health crisis canceled the 2020 season, though the Bronchos were able to practice and play 20 unofficial matches in 2020-21.

We start at our look at the team with the hitters and three players with experience are back to lead the way, with a pair of freshmen set to provide additional depth.

Sophomore Courtney Lane spearheads this group and has shown she's among the best all-around players in the conference. Lane knocked down a team-high 277 kills and added 211 digs as a freshman in 2019 in earning second-team All-MIAA honors, then made even more improvement last year. She will be a focal point of Central's offensive attack in 2021.

Junior Lauren Jenkins will also be counted on heavily this fall. Jenkins proved what she can do in 2019 when she collected 223 kills in earning honorable mention All-MIAA accolades.

Junior Alycia Bradley-Adriano provides even more experience, having seen extensive action in both 2018 and '19, and she appears ready to contribute even more in 2021. Second-year freshman Mallory Hendrix saw some time at hitter during the spring campaign and should also help out, while rookies Mallorie Koehn and Brynn Egger will both contend for action.

"We will have several players who can play either the left or right side and that's a good situation for us," head coach Edgar Miraku said. "Courtney will be a major weapon for us and Lauren has really made a lot of improvement. We have good numbers, so our depth is pretty solid."

The Bronchos open the season Sept. 3-4 at the Southeastern Oklahoma Invitational.

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Players Mentioned

#21 Alycia Bradley-Adriano: OH/RS; 6' 0"; Junior

#9 Mallory Hendrix: S/RS; 5' 10"; Freshman

#10 Lauren Jenkins: OH/RS; 6' 0"; Junior

#11 Courtney Lane: OH; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#4 Mallorie Koehn: OH; 5' 11"; Freshman

#14 Brynn Egger: RS/OH; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#21 Alycia Bradley-Adriano
: 6' 0"; Junior
: OH/RS

#9 Mallory Hendrix
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: S/RS

#10 Lauren Jenkins
: 6' 0"; Junior
: OH/RS

#11 Courtney Lane
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: OH

#4 Mallorie Koehn
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: OH

#14 Brynn Egger
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: RS/OH