They went through the battles last year. The lessons learned were invaluable and the 2016 Hamline volleyball team can't wait to put them to good use this fall.

The Piper team that opens their season Friday, September 2 with a pair of matches in a tournament at Grinnell  will be a veteran bunch with their top four players in kills, three of their top five in digs and their leading players in assists returning from the 2015 team.

As she starts her fourth season on the bench, head coach Becky Egan is optimistic the Pipers are ready to step up in the very competitive MIAC race. "It's a good mix of size, experience, athleticism and new faces," she said.

The size comes in the form of a pair of juniors – middle blocker Beth Goodman and outside hitter Cass Bittle. Goodman played in all 92 sets for the Pipers last year, finishing third on the team in kills with 186 and led  in blocks with 65 (including 20 solos). Bittle is new to the Pipers but they know what she can do. A transfer from St. Mary's, she had 219 kills in 2015 – 11 of which came in a match against Hamline.

In addition to Goodman, the past Piper experience comes in the form of three seniors – Julia Zolnosky, Jena Meyer, and Amelia Jensen—and junior Marisa Franco. Zolnosky, who was named to the All-MIAC contingent last year, was a force to behold, finishing with a team high 386 kills (second in the MIAC in the regular season). A consistent hitter, she was in double digits in kills in 24 of the Pipers' 26 matches.  She also had 287 digs, second on the team in 2015.

Meyer was second on the team last year in Kills with 200, adding 40 blocks up front. Jensen was solid as a setter, leading the Pipers with 749 assists.  She did her part in other ways as well, contributing 203 digs.

Franco was major contributor at both ends of the court. She led the team in service aces with 23 and was fourth on the front line with 116 kills.

There are five other returnees that will battle for playing time along with six freshmen. One newcomer comes to the team with lengthy postseason experience. Morgen Coleman's North Branch team won the MSHSL Class AAA Consolation championship last November.

The Pipers have two weeks to prep for their MIAC opener September 14 against Carleton at Hutton Arena. After their games Friday against Buena Vista and Grinnell, HU returns home to face Crown September 6 at Hutton and travel to Wisconsin-River Falls the next night. There will be a lengthier test – four matches in 26 hours the next weekend in a tournament at St. Catherine before starting the conference slate.

The luck of the draw has HU playing three of its first four and three of the last four MIAC matches at home. In addition to the Knights, HU welcomes Concordia, St. Thomas, Augsburg, Gustavus Adolphus and St. Catherine to Hutton. They will play at St. Mary's, Bethel, Macalester, St. Benedict and St. Olaf.