Fall '19 Preview: Mullen net staff all Mustangs

(Fifth in a series of fall previews for 2019).

Volleyball has turned into a strictly Mullen thing.

After last season, the Mustangs opted for four alumni coaching and another teaching.

Seriously, head coach Jeff Oliver had his 40^th reunion, assistant Chris Murdy had a 30th and new freshmen coach Rebecca Vega had a 20^th. Newbie Vy Tran is another alum and Christina Dickerosn teaches English and Latin.

“It’s a fun fact about our staff,” Oliver said.

Now in his third season, Oliver is hoping this year’s group doesn’t run into a late injury bug as it did a year ago on the way to a 12-13 mark. It was the program’s seventh sub-.500 record in the past nine seasons.

“We just had too many injuries,” Oliver said.

The Mustangs will have to replace six seniors for 2019, but there are 10 12^th-graders on the current roster and the interest is up – some 30 hopefuls had to be cut in tryouts.

For top returnees, there’s setter Henri Rasmussen, middles Sophie Post and Katie Hammond, outside hitters Sydney Wills and Macy Schiefelbein, and on defense Molly Zink.

“We also have some others moving up from junior varsity and I think we have a good freshmen class,” Oliver said.

He added: “I think we should have a good team that’s really excited and plays well together. We could be good. We have some tough matches against some top teams and I think we can compete with them.”

The Mustangs will open on Tuesday, Aug.27, at home against Dakota Ridge, 6:30 p.m. They will begin play in the Class 5A Centennial League on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at Cherry Creek in Greenwood Village.

Mullen will complete the regular season at the Palmer Ridge Tournament in Monument on Saturday, Nov. 2. 4A Regionals will be Nov. 8-9 and the state tournament Nov. 14-16 at the Denver Coliseum.

“We match up a lot better in 4A,” Oliver said, “But I think we can play against some top teams.”