Thursday, the curtain raises on a new season of Winfield-Mt. Union volleyball, under the direction of first-year head coach Ashlei Venghaus.

WMU is on the road to start things off at Keokuk against the Chiefs. The Wolves were 13-11 last year, 5-3, third in the Southeast Iowa Superconference North Division. They return their stat leaders in key positions including Madisen Kellogg with 428 assists, Kellee Milks with 188 kills and a .212 efficiency, Kynlee Buffington with 46 blocks and Kaelyn Townsley with 34 aces. They will have to replace defensive specialists Pacey Schlee and Josie Nelson who were 1-2 a year ago with a combined 654 digs. Milks was third with 279.

Keokuk was 3-21 last year in the basement of the Southeast Conference at 1-9. They return assists, aces, and efficiency leader Kendra Boatman at 230, 21 and .081 respectively last year. Digs leader Kylie Sisk is back after 302 a year ago. They will need to replace leading killer and blocker Camryn Atterberg with 149 and 72 each. Sisk was second with 51 kills and Naveah Logan next with 28 blocks. This week, Venghaus talked with KCII Sports about what has her excited to work with this group. “I think the most exciting part about this season is I see the potential in the level of good players that we have coming in. I think that if they believe it, they’ve already started to put in the work, if they continue putting in the work, we can be competitive.”

WMU has won seven of the last 10 in this series including a three-set sweep a season ago. Action starts tonight at 7:30p.m. At the Wright Fieldhouse in Keokuk.