Spring Hill College volleyball head coach Peggy Martin enters her eighth season on "The Hill" with a squad that features 13 redshirt or true freshman on a roster of 20 players, but she is confident that her upperclassmen have the maturity and leadership skills to head this new pack of Badgers. "Our upperclassmen are really showing great leadership for the younger players on and off the court," she says. "We are working very hard to include all our newcomers in our Badger Culture and the freshmen seem to be buying into our system - so much so that I see five to six of them getting on the court extremely early in their collegiate careers."

Martin admits that there are some growing pains with such a young team. "We are definitely better defensively than offensively at this point," she says. "Incorporating two freshmen setters means that it will take some time for our offense to get moving, but I anticipate that it will."

The core of the Badger team in 2016 centers on four veteran players in senior outside hitter Madison Seuzeneau of Tampa, Fla., redshirt junior middle hitter Savannah Becnel of Metairie, La., senior outside hitter Molly Griffin of Westlake Village, Calif., and junior middle hitter Katelyn Bobinger from McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile. Seuzeneau, a 2015 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) All-Conference selection, paced the Badger offense last season with 253 kills while Bobinger tallied 204 kills and a .336 (204-55-444) attack percentage along with 38 (7-31) total blocks. Griffin covered the court with 133 kills, 22 service aces, 13 (2-11) blocks and 167 digs. Becnel returns to the court following a medical redshirt in 2015, but notched 214 kills with 79 (14-65) blocks as a sophomore in 2014.

Also, returning for the Badgers are three sophomores in outside hitter Randi De'Armitt from New Orleans, La., middle hitter Emily Greim of McKinney, Texas, and setter Grace Herrington of Gainesville, Fla. De'Armitt recorded 151 kills in 74 sets played last season while Greim had 19 kills and five aces in just 18 sets. Herrington dished out 71 assists with 13 aces in her debut season.

The redshirt freshman class is made up of setter Anna Tietjens from St. Louis, Mo., and outside hitter Caroline Herrera of Austin, Texas. While not appearing during the court season, both players enjoyed success during the spring semester of 2016 and appeared in over 20 matches each.

The long list of freshmen joining the Badgers includes outside hitter Payton Gidney of Grapevine, Texas, setter Emmarose Neibert of Arnold, Mo., defensive specialist Gaby Gamueda from Lubbock, Texas, defensive specialist Brittany Bilotti of Miami, Fla., libero Cassidi Sterrett of Lee's Summit, Mo., right side hitter Emily Sullivan of Chicago, Ill., middle hitter Angele McClain from New Orleans, middle hitter Patty Blood of Cincinnati, Ohio, right side hitter Sarah Senft of Spring Grove, Pa., outside hitter Taylor Hurst of Gulf Shores, Ala., and defensive specialist Landen Lake of Tuscaloosa, Ala.

In general, Martin is pleased with the way her team is coming together for the new season. "Practices have been more competitive for every position than any other year in my tenure here," she says. "The players are making their coach's decisions very difficult which is a very good thing for the team. Having depth at every position is such a positive thing moving forward.  While we have not decided upon a true starting line-up, Seuzeneau, Becnel, Griffin and Bobinger will definitely be on the court while the other spots will be up for grabs. It makes it really fun to work with such a talented, hard working group."

SHC opens the 2016 season on Thursday with a tri-match in Clinton, Miss., when they face host Choctaws of Mississippi College at 1 p.m. and first-year NAIA program William Carey University at 3 p.m. in A.E. Wood Coliseum.