Galesburg, IL - The Prairie Fire will feature a new coach and several new players in 2012.
Shayla Chalker takes over the program after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Culver-Stockton College. An All-American at Coe College, Chalker will work to instill in her players some of the things that made her successful on the volleyball court.
The Prairie Fire return six players from last season and add six newcomers to the roster.
Chalker said junior Kaylie Prince (Westminster, CO, Standley Lake) will be a huge leader for the squad on and off the court. “She worked really hard this spring and is dedicated to making Knox volleyball better,” Chalker said.
Prince was second on the team last season with 129 kills and 180 digs.
The Prairie Fire will also rely on its two seniors, Kristin McDonald (Chicago, IL, Regina Dominican) and Brittany Wisniewski (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South), for leadership and strong play. “Kristin will look to finish her volleyball career in a positive way,” said Chalker. “Brittany is returning from a semester away with an internship in Chicago.”
Wisniewski led the squad with 201 digs. McDonald led in assists with 104 while contributing 87 kills and 125 digs in 2011.
Junior Emma Dryjanski (Chicago, IL, Morgan Park Academy) also could see considerable playing time. “She had a great spring and will continue to lead and push for a starting position,” Chalker said.
Two other returning players are sophomore Katie White (Peoria, IL, Notre Dame) and junior Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington). White led the team with 24 blocks -- 12 of them solo -- and added 64 kills last year.
The coach noted two first-year players, Lorena Amarillo (Chicago, IL, Noble Street College Prep) and Casey Stachelski (Joliet, IL, Plainfield), will vie for a starting spot.
“Our expectations for this season are to really improve on the fundamentals of volleyball and continue to build on the new culture of hard work we implemented in the spring,” Chalker said.
Chalker said the new expectations and a positive environment will help the team get better and build a successful volleyball culture for years to come.
Knox begins the 2012 season at the Augustana College Viking Tournament on September 1.
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