Around the bend

Let me take just a few moments to introduce myself. My name is Dameon Myres and I am the assistant director in the Tarleton sports information office. I oversee all things media relations wise for the volleyball, women's basketball, men's and women's cross country and track & field, women's tennis and baseball teams.

I'll admit, we started this blog page last year about this time and well - I just didn't put enough effort into it. it's not that I didn't want to, I did. However, I just NEVER did. I made a few posts here and there, but I have promised myself that I will absolutely put more effort into it this year and beyond.

With that said...

Volleyball is back for preseason-training camp and that means one thing - school is just around the corner. Usually I wouldn't be so upbeat about that, but only because the summer is over. But I have to admit that I am pretty excited about the upcoming season.

The TexAnns have a great opportunity in front of them this year and i can't wait to see what the team can do. Coming off an amazing 22-10 season last year - that ended just so abruptly. I was in Canyon when the TexAnns fell to ACU in the semifinal match of the LSC Tournament. I saw the faces of the girls that were coming back. And while I saw disappointment, I also so determination. Determination to make it right this year, and it all started with Shay Gracy getting on the bus and telling head coach Mary Domine Schndler that she was coming back for one more season.

Shay had made the decision earlier in the year that this was her final season. But the loss to ACU changed her mind. The TexAnns opened the match losing the first two games, then roared back to tie the match at 2-2. An remarkable comeback fell short in the final game and the TexAnns lost the game 15-13 and the match 3-2. I too was ready for 2009 as soon as that match was finished.

This team returns nine players from that team and while we lost the likes of Missy Castro, Allison Hill and Emily Richardson - we return the emotional leadership of Gracy and the core of Rachel Wolf, Shea McBrearty, Catherine Cutbirth and Jessie Hartman. Danielle Perkins, Kendall Hansen, Margaret Luedecke and Gina Galitski also return to the team along with six newcomers. This team is going to be exciting - very exciting.

So with the 2009 just around the bend, I'm ready. The girls are ready. Are you ready TexAnn fans?

Also on the docket this fall is the cross country season. The men's team finished second in the conference on the way to a sixth-place finish at the regional meet. All-regional runner Jared McNeil returns to lead this Texan team that lost just one runner. Should be an exciting season for this team as well. The women's team is young and while it lost two key runners in Kymberlee Trnka and Krista Morris, it returns the leadership of both Shelia Bishop and Morgan Kuykendall. I'm looking for this team to turn some heads as well down the stretch.

Fall is finally here. Go Texans and TexAnns.