UW Oshkosh volleyball will make its 2023 debut at the Trinity Invitational in San Antonio Texas Sept. 1 for a two-day tournament competing against four non-conference teams.

The Titans are picked to finish second in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and ranked 15 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll following last season’s 31-6 record.

Prior to the season opener, head coach Jonathan Ellmann said that the team will focus on what works best for both the season as a whole and individual matches in order to have a successful year.

“I think we handle season to season like match to match,” he said. “You try to draw on things and see what works well. Ultimately each season is different, each match is different.”

In the 2022 season, UWO qualified for the NCAA D-III national tournament, placing 17th in the tournament. 

Ellmann said that UWO’s prior success in national tournaments is driving the team to perform and improve on the national stage, but  every year the team must overcome new obstacles.

“Making the tournament last year was exciting and there’s a desire to get back in that space and perform better on a conference and national stage,” he said. “We also know each year is a different year and different opponent. Right now the focus is an excitement to be back at it and start figuring things out.”

The team will feature a roster of 24 Titans, and Outside Hitter Robyn Kirsh said that the team is already bringing a lot of energy into practice a few days into the season.

“We’re super excited in the gym,” she said. “We’ve been really competitive and it’s only been four days of practice.”

Looking forward to conference opponents, Kirsch said that despite losses of seniors, the depth of the team will be enough to regain their footing.

“UW-Stevens Point was our biggest rival last year along with UW-Whitewater,” she said. “They have some really big hitters on both teams. We’ve only lost three seniors and one of the biggest things Coach Ellmann talks about is having depth on our roster. We’re able to be good offensively and defensively because of that. People who (will) play in the game see good competition in practice.”

Beyond volleyball and the expectations it sets, Ellmann said that the focus is on caring for the athletes.

“At the start of the season, there’s always hype about last year,” he said. “Our priority is to make sure our players are doing well as human beings.”