Expectations higher than ever for Jackson Volleyball in 2023

The stakes have never been higher for the Jackson volleyball program as the team enters the 2023 season with sights on reaching new heights.

With perhaps the most talented senior class in program history, the Indians look to capitalize on their championship window with a more-than-successful year.

Dave Mirly, who enters his seventh season as the head coach of the Jackson volleyball team, didn’t mince his words when it came to what he expected out of a roster with such an extensive level of individual talent.

“We have a lot of individual talents, the most tournaments I've ever had on a team,” Indians coach Dave Mirly said. “The most talent there’s maybe ever been in the history of southeast Missouri volleyball. It's exciting when you have all of that.

“Our team has to realize there's only one volleyball out there, and with all of our great hitters, we’re going to mix it around and be very diversified on offense. The girls are definitely buying into the team culture and they know that the team’s goals are more important than their individual stats.”

Among the most high-profile signings for the incoming senior volleyball class, two Division-1 players will take the floor for Jackson as Nadia Wasilewski and Holland Guilliams, signed to Wichita State and Southeast Missouri State respectively, will look to command a strong season for the Indians.

Also signed for Jackson are Ella Domian and Grace Newell, who are headed to Divison-II Maryville and NJCAA Division-I John A. Logan respectively. The four signees exemplify the high level of talent that Jackson carries into a 2023 campaign that has early expectations to be among the best in school history.

“It means a lot that the girls have already committed to the schools,” Mirly said. “They've already got some place to play next year, so this coming season is their main focus right now. They're not out there for themselves, they’re in it for the team’s goals, which is very exciting.”

While Jackson volleyball is no stranger to elite talent coming through the program, the team has yet to capitalize on the opportunity to advance to the state final four, having won four consecutive district titles but falling thereafter each time.

In total, Jackson’s dominance over the bootheel shouldn’t be understated. The Indians have won 30 or more games in each of the past three seasons, and in the six seasons under Mirly, have never stooped below 26 wins in a season.

Volleyball, a team sport, is incredibly reliant on team chemistry and overall skill as a unit to find success. With a strong talent pool, a great support staff, and a coach who has changed the culture of Jackson Volleyball, the program has established itself as a regional powerhouse.

However, when the dust clears, teams with tremendous talent pools and a roster of Division-I recruits always seem to find their way back to Jackson in the state tournament.

This year, with a slew of high-level recruits and a deep roster, Jackson looks to reverse the tide and finally prove that the school can compete with the powerhouses from up north.

“This is the year that we’ll be able to compete,” Mirly said. “Teams like Lafayette are still going to have high-level Division-I players. But, you know, I'm excited.

“This will be our best squad; this will be the best chance that we've ever had, and we will be ready for anything they throw at us. We're gonna be right there with them, toe-to-toe.”