2022 Abilene Wylie volleyball preview capsule
Wylie Lady Bulldogs
Head coach: Shay Cox (9th year at Wylie)
Last year’s record: 29-13, 8-2 (2nd in District 2-6A)
Last district title: 2017
Last playoff appearance: 2021 (Lost to Canyon Randall 3-0 in Region I-5A quarterfinals)
Returning lettermen/starters: 6/4
Players to watch: Kat Martinez, L, 5-5, Sr.; Brylee Pursley, DS, 5-7, Sr.; Aliyah Jowers, OH, 5-9, So.; Indiah Maroney, RS/MB, 6-1, Jr.; Brianna Johnston, MB, 5-10, Jr.; Hanna Hood, S, 5-6, Sr.
Coach Cox says: “Our expectations are always high. We know we graduated quite a bit of seniors, seven, but our expectation is to pick up where they left off and continue working hard. We want to get a district championship. We haven’t been able to do that in 5A. That’s in front of us. Hopefully, we can go as far as we can with a playoff run.”
Notes: Lubbock-Cooper went undefeated in District 4-5A, beating Wylie twice to deny the Lady Bulldogs the league crown. Jowers was the District 4-5A co-newcomer of the year last season with Lubbock Coronado freshman Addison Andrews. Martinez was a first-team all-district pick, while Maroney, Pursley and Faith Cary were all second-team selections. Hood was an honorable mention pick. Wylie has to fill some big shoes in Jaron McAden, the district’s top hitter last season, and Lexi Miller, who was the league’s outstanding setter. Wylie has made the playoffs every year since the program started in 2008 … The Lady Bulldogs went three rounds last year – a first as a 5A program and something the program hasn’t done since reaching the region semifinals in 2014. Wylie, which made the jump to the UIL’s second-largest class in 2018, had three state tournament appearances, all consecutive (2010-12). The Lady Bulldogs won state in 2012 after reaching the title match in 2011.
– Joey D. Richards
2022 schedule
Date … Opponent … Time
Aug. 9 … Canyon Randall … 4 p.m. at Wolfforth
Aug. 9 … at Wolfforth Frenship … 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 12-13 … Bev Ball Classic
Aug. 16 … at Midland Legacy … 6 p.m.
Aug. 18-20 … Granbury tournament
Aug. 23 … Weatherford … 6 p.m.
Aug. 26-27 … at Wolfforth Frenship tournament
Aug. 30 … at Midland Christian … 6 p.m.
Sept. 2 … Midland High … 5 p.m.
Sept. 6 … San Angelo Central … 4 p.m.
Sept. 6 … Granbury … 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 … at Abilene High* … 5 p.m.
Sept. 13 … at Bushland … TBA at Lubbock
Sept. 17 … Abilene Cooper*… 11:30 a.m.
Sept. 20 … at Lubbock Monterey* … 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 … Lubbock High* … 6 p.m.
Sept. 27 … Lubbock Coronado* … 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 30 … at Lubbock-Cooper* … 5 p.m.
Oct. 4 … Abilene High* … 6 p.m.
Oct. 11 … at Abilene Cooper* … 6 p.m.
Oct. 14 … Lubbock Monterey* … 5 p.m.
Oct. 18 … at Lubbock High* … 6 p.m.
Oct. 21 … at Lubbock Coronado* … 5 p.m.
Oct. 25 … Lubbock-Cooper* … 6 p.m.
*District 4-5A match
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: 2022 Abilene Wylie volleyball preview capsule
