The Smith community is seated front and center as the volleyball team continues their exciting season and prepares for the NEWMAC Quarterfinals next week. Head coach Greg Walker has been leading the Pioneers since 2020 and has a reputation for turning seasons around. His strategy is a simple one though and has been effective in building up his teams, he says. “You have to find ways to invest in the people that you work with,” says Walker. “People work harder when they know that you care about them, you’re personally invested in them, and you want them to succeed.” This personal investment in the team’s success has paid off. The Pioneers currently stand 19-9, 4-4 with two games left of the regular season before the Quarterfinals.
Mia Moscicki ’26 attributes the team’s success to their gaining confidence. “We have started holding ourselves and each other to a certain standard, which really helps in the tougher matches, but even so in the not so tough ones!” By and large the Pioneers’ wins have outweighed their losses, even against competitive teams. Just last week the team was placed in the top seven of the first set of NCAA Regional Rankings. When asked what has made this season different from the others, Walker explains, “This team’s level of talent and competitiveness is unmatched. We are young, but why not us — why not us. Their strengths are that they want to be great, they are hungry to learn and they are willing to invest into each other’s relationships.”
There is an enthusiasm that can be instantly seen as the Pioneers play on court. Not only is the team playing well, but they are having fun doing so. They are played this season with a winning attitude and players like Abby Hunt ’26, Mia Moscicki ’26, Claudia Poehlmann ’26 and Ava Zollinger ’23 are consistently leading the team.
Can the Pioneers go all the way?
Coach Walker says, “If we can continue to grow and learn at this point in the year, I think that we can achieve all our goals, but it starts with us … showing up every day to be the best versions of ourselves, and learning how to manage our distractions that prevent us from being the best we can be.”
Next up, the Pioneers will go against NEWMAC opponent Springfield College on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. in Springfield.
