When the ISU volleyball team begins its season Sept. 1, it will be a completely different team greeting the fans. Head coach Linda Grensing begins her second season at the helm for the Cyclones. Gone are offensive threat Sheila Lopez and all-around contributor Mandi Middleton from last year’s team, which went 3-24 and 1-19 in conference play. Senior Stacy Nicks and Junior Nanette Allen both have starting lineup experience and will be called upon to provide leadership for the young Cyclone team, which includes seven freshmen. Nicks begins her third year as a starter for Iowa State. She tallied a team-high 106 blocks last season, aiding Iowa State’s fourth-place conference ranking in blocks. “I already see a complete turn around from a year ago,” Nicks stated. “The level of play has increased, and I think it really helps that we have the same coaches back.” Allen started the better part of the 1998 season or an outside hitter but saw limited action in 1999. The junior will add experience and depth to a team trying to improve on last season. “Stacey and Nanette know the system and have a strong background in the Big 12,” Coach Grensing said. “Our returning players will provide leadership as we start the season.” Sophomores Sara Stribe, Sarah Rollman and Mandi Harms saw significant playing time during the 1999 campaign. All have starting experience for the Cyclones. Stribe started at setter for the Cyclones midway through the ’99 season, recording 139 digs and a team-high 563 assists. Stribe also holds the school record for assists in a three-game match, dishing out 54 against Missouri last season. Rollman notched 187 kills and 197 digs at outside hitter last season but will see time at middle blocker in the 2000 season. Rollman totaled 50 blocks as a freshman. Returning at right-side hitter will be Harms. She started the last nine matches of t Adding to the depth of the team at middle blocker will be freshmen Julie Mitchell and Renae Walker. Both were All-State performers in high school. Competing for a starting spot at right-side hitter along with Harms will be freshman Renae Pruess, who was a member of the Class 1A All-State Second Team. After being one of the most sought-after recruits in Iowa last season, first team All-Stater Steph Suntken has joined the Cyclones and will compete for a spot at outside hitter along with another All-State performer, Dana Koziol. Freshman Lindsey Chapman is an outside hitter who will train as a setter. She is expected to push Stribe in practice, while freshman April Gerloff will be primarily a defensive specialist. “The freshmen have been really impressive in practice,” said Nicks. “They’ve stepped right in, and have really pushed the older players.” A strength from a year ago was blocking, and Grensing sees the same pattern following this season. For more information visit the Cyclone Volleyball website.