Wilmington went 14-6 last season in Jenna Persinger’s final season as head coach. She turned the program around after several years struggling in the W-L column.
A once proud program under head coach Gary Downing, WHS volleyball had fallen on hard times and failed to produce a winner in recent years. In fact, in 2016 and 2017, Wilmington did not win a match.
In Persinger’s four seasons at WHS, she grew the program from seven wins in 2018 to 14 wins in 2021.
But the Hurricane lost four of its last six matches after a 12-2 start last season.
Stephanie Reveal, for a number of years the athletic department secretary for WHS, returned to coaching after a one-year break. The Clinton-Massie standout player and coach will now don the orange and black on the court as head coach. She is 197-154 as a volleyball head coach.
Reveal will be assisted by the following coaches: Marie Middleton (JV), Rachael Atchley (freshman), Jamie Bryant (freshman), Chay Johns (eighth grade) and Tammy Martin (seventh grade).
Brynn Bryant, a junior, was a first-team All-SBAAC player last year for Wilmington while graduates Banesa Morales and Jena Rhoads were second-teamers. Bryant had 217 kills to lead the team while Caroline Diels was next with 158. Diels had 302 assists while Bryant had 170.
In all there are seven returning letterwinners, five of them starters from 2021.
“We have worked really hard this off season and they all have embraced the challenges that have been given to them,” Reveal said of her squad. “As a team I want to see us compete for a league title, as individuals I want to see their ability to believe in themselves, have fun and grow.”
Reveal said the Hurricane has show a “willingness to believe what we tell them and for them to step outside of their comfort zone.”
Wilmington must work on both serve and serve receive in order to reach its goals. “Two of the most important aspects of the game,” Reveal said.
The Hurricane can contend in the American Division, Reveal said, if the players and coaches “trust the process and continue to do the little things day in and day out.”
