The Iowa State volleyball team begins its season on Sept. 3 when it faces Southern Illinois at Las Vegas.

After finishing the 1998 season with a 3-29 record, the team is looking to improve.

A large part in improving last year’s record will be the leadership and play of fifth-year seniors Mandi Middleton and Sheila Lopez.

Middleton, a native of Rowan, Iowa, saw limited action as a freshman and after taking two years off, returned last season.

Playing in every match for ISU, she ranked third on the team in blocks tallying 72 and also recorded 107 kills for a 1.07 kills per game average.

Middleton senses excitement as she looks to the 1999 season.

“I’d really like to make everyone proud of ISU volleyball, and I’d really like to improve our record,” she said.

Recently married, Middleton doesn’t see herself continuing on with her volleyball career after this season.

As an elementary education major, she sees herself concentrating on future teaching aspirations, but before that happens, she’ll be taking on the challenge of trying to have a winning season.

“I’d really want to concentrate on keeping the team focused, so that we may improve our record,” she said.

Helping Middleton lead the team will be outside hitter Sheila Lopez.

Lopez sat out last season after transferring from Duquesne, and she is ready to play.

“I’d really like to finish in the top five in the conference. I have an opportunity to play overseas, so I want to have a great season,” Lopez said.

Lopez, who comes to Iowa State from Puerto Rico, broke the single-season kill record with 442 kills as a junior at Duquesne.

A member of the Puerto Rican national team, Lopez left Duquesne as one of its top players of all time.

She will bring a strong, physical presence to a team that is looking to improve on last year’s 1-19 conference record.

First year ISU coach Linda Grensing seems optimistic heading into the 1999 campaign.

Grensing will be looking for leadership and strong play from both Middleton and Lopez.

“Mandi will be a very stable contributor for us this year,” she said.

“She’s very consistent and extremely competitive. Mandi brings that competitiveness to every practice and frequently is the winner of games and drills that we run.

“She is a very talented athlete that will be asked to play many different positions for us,” Grensing said.

Grensing expects Lopez to be a physical and emotional team leader.

“Sheila will be a key player for us this year. She’s very physical and has the tools to be both a hitter and a passer,” she said.

“Sheila has a neat spark of emotion that carries over to the other girls and helps get us going.”

Coach Grensing will be counting on both seniors’ leadership abilities this season, she said.

“The girls have been very hard working, very honest and very communicative, which helps me out a lot this being my first year. They play a large role on this team especially with the communication,” she said.

“That will be the key to our success. As long as we keep communicating, we should be fine.”