CEDAR CITY, UTAH -- Southern Utah Volleyball experienced a near-complete overhaul of its roster this last season, with many young, promising talents coming into the program to fill out the ranks, and perhaps no position group is more representative of this than the middle blockers.

With no returning players from last year's squad and three underclasswomen, the middle blockers are most certainly leading the youth movement for this team, but Coach Danielle Jensen has high expectations for this group's performance in the coming season.

When asked about her feelings on the middle blockers, Coach Jensen said, "Our middles are young but have the ability to take our program to the next level. The drive and determination they bring to the court every day has been a huge piece with getting our program to the level it needs to be at." 

As one of only 2 upperclasswomen in the middle blockers group, Natalie Moore is poised to have a big impact on the team this season. Discussing the junior transfer, Coach Jensen praised her athleticism and two-way ability, saying, "She can move really well, and she's very versatile offensively." As a sophomore at Northeastern Junior College last season, Moore was part of a squad that made a tournament run that ended with a third-place national finish, and that experience in big matches will be sure to serve her well as she makes the transition to the NCAA level.

As one of the promising incoming freshmen for the team, Molly Mitchell will also be looking to make her presence known on the court from day one. A local Utah player from Pleasant Grove High School, Mitchell earned Second Team All-State honors from the Deseret News last season after racking up 207 kills and 56 blocks on a hitting percentage of .372. "She's been so fun to watch," Coach Jensen said of Mitchell. "She's played at such a high level and has such a good volleyball IQ."

The Thunderbirds aren't just going to be a two player show at middle blocker, with two international middle blockers joining this year. Sophomore Karla Kosutic from Croatia comes to Cedar City after playing for Cal State Bakersfield last year, and Julia Roncero-Ribas is joining the team as a freshman from Spain. In addition, junior transfer Emilia Linden joins the team from Tacoma Community College, and will provide extra versatility, playing both middle blocker and opposite hitter.

The optimism within the SUU Volleyball team is palpable, with everyone recognizing the potential that this team has to start a new era of success. With so much young talent coming into the program at once along with a couple more experienced transfers, this middle blockers group is poised to turn that potential into a strong foundation for the team to build off of.

Middle Blockers: Emilia Linden - 6'0, Jr., Molly Mitchell - 6'2, Fr., Julia Roncero-Ribas - 6'1, Fr., Natalie Moore - 6'0, Jr., Karla Kosutic - 6'1, So.

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