Marquette volleyball has high goals – and another intense nonconference schedule

There is a method to Ryan Theis' madness.

Once again, the Marquette volleyball coach has loaded up an intense slate of nonconference games for the Golden Eagles, who are ranked 24th in the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll.

MU opens its season Friday at Eastern Illinois – where Theis was once an assistant coach – but then things ramp up very quickly with the home opener against No. 5 Stanford next Wednesday at the Al McGuire Center.

The Golden Eagles also have matches against No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Pittsburgh, No. 13 Kansas and No. 22 Dayton. Big East rival Creighton is ranked 12th in the preseason poll.

MU played a similarly daunting schedule last season , going 4-7 in nonconference play but still advancing to the NCAA Tournament and r eaching the second round.

"The way the system works, to try and be a top-16 seed (in the NCAAs), I feel you need to have a large chunk of top-15 matches, top-25 matches and even some top-10 matches," Theis said Tuesday. "If you get a couple of those wins, you get a chance to be at home in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

"So we have a roster that is experienced like we have been the last two years, we amp that up a little. I think one or two matches go different last year and we are seeded again. You got to win 'em, but certainly we schedule hard with an effort to be a top-16 seed."

Yadhira Anchante, Hattie Bray, Carsen Murray and Aubrey Hamilton are preseason all-Big East

MU certainly has the look of a team that hold up against that schedule. The Golden Eagles return six starters and four players who were picked for the all-Big East preseason team: setter Yadhira Anchante, middle blockers Hattie Bray and Carsen Murray and outside hitter Aubrey Hamilton.

"I think it just shows, like, we don't give up and we don't let up when it's a person or a team that has a high number in front of the name," Murray said. "I think we can compete with anybody.

"We've done it before and it really sets us up for success later on in the season. Because getting these reps and stealing some games against these huge teams, I think we are capable of taking some huge wins this year. For NCAA seeding and all that great stuff, preseason matters and our nonconference matters a lot."

Murray, Anchante and Hamilton took advantage of their fifth seasons of NCAA eligibility to return. The experience on the roster also includes seniors Jenna Reitsma, Jadyn Garrison and Samantha Naber.

"I think this group in particular is really good about 'this is our last time,' " Theis said. "And they want a sense of urgency.

"Yet I think they have a pretty good feeling that they are not supposed to make it about them. It's about the team. So what do they need to do for the team? To welcome the freshmen to make them feel comfortable or to take a lesser role on the court because a younger player is emerging. Just understanding what needs to be in it for the last time and the urgency that goes with it."

The team's goals reflect the intense schedule.

"I want us to win the Big East again and then maybe win the conference tournament, too," Anchante said. "That's the one we're missing, these last two years we lost to Creighton and then last year we lost to St. John's.

"That's another goal for us. Then we want to make it farther than Sweet 16 maybe. I think we can make it."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Marquette volleyball has high goals – and another intense nonconference schedule