Houston, July 29, 2024- The University of St. Thomas Celts Volleyball team is gearing up for an exciting 2024 season featuring a schedule of intense competition and thrilling matches. Led by Head Coach Keanne Burt, the team is set to build on last year's successes and make a significant impact in the SCAC.
The Celts' season starts on Friday, August 30th, with a home opener against Future 2025 SCAC opponent Hendrix. Following that match, at 6 pm, the Celts will UST play Lewis & Clark. On Aug 31st, The Celts play Schreiner, a member of the SCAC, in an early nonconference game. These games will set the stage and help tune their strategies for the season. The Celts will play 30 regular-season games, including conference play.
Strategic Preparation and Goals
The Celts have focused on strategic preparation for the upcoming season. The coaching staff has emphasized enhancing defensive strategies and developing a more aggressive offense approach. These efforts combined aim to help the Celts adapt to the diverse opponents and excel in their quest for the SCAC championship. "We set individual goals for the off-season with each player. Outside of individual goals, we really want to see more leadership and team concepts at the forefront of practice," says Burt.
Key Leadership
The Celts' roster will be filled with a blend of experienced upperclassmen, two transfer, and five incoming freshmen. The team is excited to return almost the entire roster, and the Celts will return two key players, Audrey Cataline and Kara Spice. Audrey and Kara were both named SCAC 2023 All-Conference with 1st team honors. Cataline went on to be named All-region. Their leadership will play a huge role this season. Coach Burt says, "I am excited to have the experience we have returning as a complete offense, with our setters to hitters and the depth of our bench. We will be returning the back row that combined for 2300 digs and 2100 receptions, putting us in the top ranking in our conference." The Celts have an exciting group of student athletes who are hard-working individuals who are committed to excellence.
Mark Your Calendars
With the season just around the corner, mark your calendars to show up in full force to support the Celts! To view the 2024 schedule, click here! The first serve is home at the JAAC against Hendrix on Friday August 30th at 10AM, let's pack the JAAC!
