PENDLETON — The Pendleton Heights volleyball team, coming off an 18-16 record last year, is already in action this season and is off to a good start.

The Arabians are looking for an even bigger tilt toward the win column this year.

Blair Barksdale is entering her third year as varsity head coach, and she said she thinks this will be the team’s best year since she took the helm.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery

“We have a lot of potential this year, and the girls are really excited, but I don’t think they understand just how much potential we have,” Barksdale said.

If anyone knows about bringing out the potential of players on the volleyball court it’s Barksdale. The Delta High School graduate contributed to back-to-back IHSAA volleyball state championships for the Eagles in 2001 and 2002.

Barksdale also was named first team all-state in 2001 and 2002 and named a 2002-2003 academic all-state player.

While leading the Eagles in high school, Barksdale also was named to multiple Hoosier Heritage Conference all-conference teams and all-Delaware County teams. In 2013, she was inducted into the Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame.

After high school, she attended the University at Albany in New York on a Division 1 athletic scholarship to play volleyball.

While in college, Barksdale earned several achievements academically and athletically while becoming one of the most decorated athletes in the school’s history.

Top returning players for Barksdale’s Arabians this season include seniors Gracie Criswell, Maddy McCullum and Sylvia Phillips, and juniors Macy Bell, Aubree Dwiggins, Ally Hall, Gracie King and Averi Lanman.

Freshman Avery Ross is a big jumper and will also see plenty of playing time, Barksdale said.

“I think she’s going to surprise a lot of people this year and will be a lot of fun to watch.”

Barksdale said she likes the physical size of the team, but winning games will come down to how well the Arabians defense develops and the ability to control first ball contact.

While Barksdale said the seniors will be looked to for leadership, the coach expects big things from junior Ally Hall, who is expected to set the tone for the squad.

One of the team goals this season will be to make a name for itself in the Hoosier Heritage Conference.

New Castle won the conference title last year, going 7-0, while the Arabians finished sixth with a 2-5 conference mark.

“I think we can compete this year,” Barksdale said.

The last time the Arabians won the conference title was in 1994.

Since then, and prior to last year, Delta and Yorktown had been the two powerhouse volleyball programs in the conference.

Barksdale, however, is trying to change that and thinks the Arabians can make their mark sooner rather than later.

Pendleton Heights athletes are known for being strong softball and basketball players, Barksdale said, but she and the players are doing all they can to help build the school’s volleyball program into an elite competitor.

“We’ve got big expectations for the girls over the next couple of years,” Barksdale said.

Part of creating a winning program is developing a love for the sport with elementary and middle school players, she said.

She’s been working on that the past couple of years, with hopes of progress showing up in the future.