With the academic year winding down, students at McHenry County College have been busy with coursework and extracurricular activities. No group of students, however, has been as active as the women’s volleyball team.

In a poll conducted during the preseason, the Scots were voted to be the eighth-best team in the country. The team has posted a remarkable 26-10 record, surpassing all expectations. As one of the top teams in the region, the Scots have the potential to bring home a championship.

Head coach Kyle McCall states that the season has gone exceptionally well for the team. “This group of women that we have recruited to play for us have committed to the process of what we do here and most importantly, been great teammates to each other,” McCall said. “The team has worked hard, adapted, and executed practice and game plans in a way that we have not had before in our coaching tenure.”

McCall believes that the best is to come for the Scots as they host the first round of the regional championship. Lilli Leggett and Issy Nick are returning players to the team this season, alongside first-year players such as Jessica Porten and Emily Willis. Exciting additions to the team include Gracie Dietrich from Las Vegas and Khy Price from San Antonio.

McCall also believes that every player on the team has contributed to the team’s success in some fashion.

“Volleyball is such a unique game that really every player has contributed at some point picking up where another has left off,” McCall said.

McCall credits MCC’s athletics and student life departments for supporting the athletes and making their experience on the team positive. But McCall’s favorite part of coaching the team is beyond athletics.

“The best part is seeing the student athletes become successful on and off the court and move on to do big things is always a ‘why’ we coach,” McCall said. “As an alum, I have a tremendous amount of pride in what we do and who we bring in to be a part of this program.”

Sophomore Valle Leggett, who was named MCC’s September 2023 student-athlete of the month, agrees that the season has gone well thanks to the team’s persistence at meeting goals. Leggett states that the team’s goal is to win the national championship.

“I know we have the ability to win nationals. Our team is passionate, and we embody a ‘championship mindset,’” Leggett said. “The past few weeks have been a huge turning point for us, and I believe if we stay on the road that we’re on, there is no doubt we will win a national title.”

For Leggett, the best part playing for the Scots is the people she has met along the way.

“The best aspect of being on the team is definitely the friendships and relationships I have made throughout the last two years,” Leggett said. “All of us on the team have really become a family, and I will for sure cherish these friendships forever.”

With the postseason soon to begin for the team, it is no secret that these women embody true Scot Pride. The family atmosphere ensures that no player is left behind, and the team’s performance proves their dominance over the sport.

Until the results are in for postseason play, McCall and the team look forward to what the program’s future has in store for them.

“I think we are just getting going,” McCall said. “It’s going to be fun.”