Lauren Huckleberry (13), Layla Ramirez (6) and Paytyn Garner (9) battle at the net.

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - It’s a new season filled with new beginnings for the Cordova Lady Lancers varsity volleyball team.

Under new head coach Jaimee Stevenson, the Lady Lancers will feature eight underclassmen and five seniors. Many players will be participating in the sport for the first time, and Stevenson wants to foster an inclusive and supportive environment while building up the program, as well as the sport in the area. At Cordova, all three levels of play from freshmen to varsity enter the school year with new head coaches.

“I’m really trying to create a volleyball community,” Stevenson said. “That’s probably our biggest goal. As a program leader I want to create a cohesive and collaborative volleyball community both on and off the court.”

Stevenson, who has coached the girls’ junior varsity team at Cordova the past two seasons, is entering her first year as a varsity coach. That is just one of the major changes to a team that made the CIF Sac Joaquin Section Division II playoffs a season ago. After finishing in third place within the Greater Sacramento League last fall, the Lady Lancers now find themselves in the Metro League, bringing new challenges and new opponents into focus as well.

 Paytyn Garner (9), Tayla Franklin (11) and Alanna Thomas (12) return a volley against Union Mine on Aug. 23.

The team is led by a pair of senior captains — outside hitter Niyah Brown and middle blocker Tayla Franklin. Stevenson was very complimentary of her team leaders, stating that she believes Brown has the talent to play at the college level if she decides to go that route. The coach also characterized Franklin as a “chameleon” when referencing her ability to play multiple positions and help the team wherever it is needed.

A pair of sophomores in starting setter Paytyn Garner, along with libero Isabel Stevenson, have infused some quality young talent into the program as well.

In addition to her regular season commitment to the team, Stevenson also stated that she hopes to collaborate with other area coaches to create an offseason training and scrimmaging regimen that would allow players to continue to hone their skills in a public school setting rather than have families enroll young players in expensive recreational leagues.

Overall, it appears the Cordova girls volleyball program is in good hands with Stevenson as she is only just beginning to lay the foundation of what could be a well-built community in the near future.