Head coach Karen Gellen returned to Woodland Christian High School in 2023 and led the girls varsity volleyball team to its first league championship in four years.
The Cardinals clinched a share of the Central Valley California League title with a 19-10 overall record and 15-1 against CVCL rivals. Woodland Christian swept John Adams Academy in the first round of the Division V CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Playoffs but lost in four sets at Bret Harte in the quarterfinals.
"It's awesome! We're starting in a whole different place this year than we did to start last year. First of all, I know the girls, because last year was coming back after being gone. We have 12 returners, I added two players, so we still have a roster of 14. We're starting in a whole different place. They know me, I know them, they already know the routines and practice schedules. We're starting in a really great spot," Gellen explained. "This early in the season it's really valuable because instead of us playing the first week or two trying to figure out what their skill sets are, where they can play and contribute, both skill wise and mentally, you can get started with more details right out the gate."
In Gellen's 11 seasons on the sidelines, she has earned eight league championships. With only one senior departing for graduation in June, a majority of the young Cardinals are back with more experience and ready for a new challenge: conquering the Sierra Delta League.
Senior Paisley Carinio is the reigning CVCL MVP. Junior Bella Galeazzi was selected to the All-CVCL first team in 2023. Senior Emma Hedrick earned an all-league second squad selection. Sophomore Gabbi Jaime received an honorable mention from the CVCL.
"We already know each other, how we play and communicate well together so it's a really great feeling to keep that same team chemistry that we had last year," Carinio said. "One huge thing is we have to go into this season super open-minded. We've never seen a lot of these teams so we have to go in, play as hard as we can and have no expectations for what these teams will look like.
"I know one team specifically, Vacaville Christian, that's going to be some good competition for us. We've played them in the past, they're ones we're definitely looking out for and training to play well against us. All of these other teams, we're going to come out and show them how we can play."
Remaining members of the roster include seniors, Megan Keats, Gabby Martinez, Celeste Medina and Danica Pascoe, junior April Lutolf, sophomores, Chayse Anderson, Bailee Broward, Elena Ganyo and Siena Sorbello, and freshman Khloe Davis.
"I have six seniors and there is something about seniors when it's their senior year and they really tend to care a lot, work really hard and bring everyone along with them. My seniors are really going to be leaders this year," Gellen foreshadowed. "The biggest change is instead of playing a 6-2, we're playing a 5-1 with only one setter. Elena will have to step up, I expect that she will, and she has a much bigger role than she had last year so that's going to be a lot. Everybody else is in the same roles. I do have a freshman, Davis, who has great skills and we'll see where she can contribute.
"Another new player is Anderson, she plays in the middle. They all have opportunities and I expect a lot of all of them."
Woodland Christian officially began the campaign Friday evening at the Jack Hamlin Gym versus crosstown rival Pioneer. The Cardinals were victorious three sets to one. The Patriots defended home court by winning a five-set thriller last year.
"We have an upcoming freshman on varsity this year, Davis, she's a (defensive specialist), outside hitter and she's insane! She's really good and going to surprise everyone this year," Carinio foretold. "Coming from a senior libero who's been playing for a long time, she can dig like crazy. She can communicate really well on the court and fits in really well."
The season technically kicked off Tuesday night at Davis during the foundation game, which the Blue Devils swept, but the loss didn't count against Woodland Christian's record. The Yolo County rivalries continue this upcoming Tuesday as the Cardinals head to the west side of town for a matchup at Woodland.
"Senior year, it's exciting! I'm excited for senior night and playing all these new teams. It's nice seeing new competition after playing the same teams for the last couple of years," Carinio explained. "I think we can go far, it all comes down to our mindsets. If we continue playing well, working hard and training as well as we have been, we can go as far as we put our minds to. Ultimately, it's going to come down to pushing it when it comes down to these really hard teams."
On Aug. 30, Woodland Christian will compete in the Nevada Juniors High School Tournament in Grass Valley, beginning with a match at 3 p.m. against the hosts, Nevada Union. Every other game this campaign begins at 6 p.m. The 14-game SDL slate starts on Sept. 9 at Vacaville Christian in a battle for the Crusaders Cup. League play concludes with the regular season finale on Oct. 23 versus Highlands.
"I'm trying not to have any bias. I'm going to expect every team and gym I walk into to be super competitive," Gellen foreshadowed. "That's the only way that you can walk into these gyms, you have to believe that they're going to make it hard for you."
Bolstering her résumé, Gellen led the program to four section titles in 2012 and 2016-18. Joining Gellen and assistant Darcy Brown on the bench this year is Cardinals alumna Megan Trottier, who graduated in 2019 and went on to play at Sonoma State. Trottier was not only a member of three section championship teams but also the 2017 Woodland Christian squad that won the D6 CIF NorCal title.
"Her experience adds a lot! She has lots of great skills, works really hard and can teach the kids. Sometimes when the players hear it from someone other than me, it just clicks better. I don't really mind who they hear it from if it clicks," Gellen explained. "She is going to give them that feedback. She's got a great arm so she hits it really hard at the girls. The only way you can dig great balls and playing great defense is having hard balls driven at you during practice.
"I've put her in charge of our defense and she's really embraced that. They're embracing defense in a way that they haven't in the past, which I think will be a game changer for us."
The Cardinals continue the campaign Tuesday at Woodland in the Wolves' season opener at 6 p.m.
"They are capable of doing really well this season. They are capable of going into the postseason and going really far. The big question mark is what they want. How hard do they want to work for that and how much do they want it? That's kind of the unknown," Gellen foretold. "I believe they can do all these things. It's just a matter of how they practice, play, interact with each other and their chemistry. It's not early in the season, because everything is always great at the beginning.
"It's as the season gets longer, can they still have good chemistry, camaraderie, play well together and still support each other being positive? Down the stretch into the postseason, it's not always the teams that are really good, they can often be the teams that are good but still want to be playing together."
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