WASHINGTON DC— After finishing one of their best academic semesters this past spring with a 3.25 team GPA, the Trinity Volleyball program welcomes six new faces.  Amongst the newcomers are Angel Brown, Darah Colbert, Mon’ae Izzard, Camryn Matthews, Taelor Shanel-Sanders, and Kyla Sutton.

Head Coach, Shinicka Spears, is excited to welcome high academic and high characters recruits to a growing program. Coach Spears brought in a solid recruiting class last season, by adding another solid class, Director of Athletics, Monique McLean says, “the program potential is limitless.”  Trinity Volleyball will return a solid sophomore class that gained valuable in-game experience this past season.

“Our newcomers will play a major part in our upcoming season,” Spears says.  “I am very excited about the commitment and talent that they are bringing to the program! I look forward to connecting as a team and watching our returners guide our newcomers towards success. Preparation and commitment will be our focus for the upcoming season. We will to focus on one practice and game at a time.”

As the Tigers look forward to being on their home court again soon with much fervor, Coach Spears stresses the importance of mental health with the student-athletes during this time of uncertainty and social distancing.

“With all that has taken place in the past few months, it has been very important to focus on the mental health of the team. There has been a lot of uncertainty on a safe return to practice, team activities and competition,” Spears says. “We are doing our best to take it day by day. We have to remain positive and stay mentally and physically healthy.”

Although there will be noticeable changes within the athletics department, Trinity Athletics will provide programming to enhance the overall college experience for all students on our campus. Please join us as we welcome our incoming scholar-athletes to the Tiger family!

The Tigers volleyball team served as the highlight of the week after winning their first match of the season with a three-set sweep over Medgar Evers college on 10/09/19: 25-18, 25-20, 25-18. Both Davia Cain, freshman, and Naysha Carasquillo, senior who also leads the team in aces, scored eight points each for the Tigers in service aces. Senior, Alyssa King was also a key component in the esteemed victory with her 12 digs, 4 assists, 1 kill, and 1 ace. Team captain and senior, Kenna Brooks lead her team to victory with 6 kills, 1 ace, 16 digs, and 2 blocks to further her team lead in blocks, kills, and digs.

Brooks did not only lead her team statistically, but as captain she felt a responsibility to embody the role as a leader both mentally and emotionally for her teammates: “They look to me for guidance and support; whether it be to help fix mistakes or to commend them on a good hustle [for the ball]. All I care about is the hustle and giving our all on the court whether we win or lose.”

At their games, during many “Ball’s up!” and “Mine!” and the cheers of the fans, you may hear   a few of the ladies’ yell “CHP!” from the bench or in a team huddle

This win was primarily due to those three, seemingly, ordinary words, but they mean everything to Tiger Volleyball: “CHP,” Brooks said, “means communication, hustle, and positivity.”

Brooks says that head coach, Shinicka Spears, has instilled in them, “hustling the entire time, communication being key, and being accountable for each other’s mistakes while keeping the energy up.”