Gamble begins first season

The first few weeks of the Midland Lutheran College volleyball schedule will be sort of a “get to know” period between the program and fans.

The team is under new leadership after former Iowa Western Community College coach Terry Gamble was hired at the end of July and 11 freshmen are listed on the team’s 20-player roster.

While fans will need some time to learn all the new faces, one player will need no introduction.

Former Fremont Bergan two-time all-state selection Halie Wewel has joined the Lady Warriors this season after playing her freshman year at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn.

It’s a welcomed addition for Gamble who recruited her while coaching at IWCC.

“That was lucky for us,” he said. “I think for us to get her at this point in the year is outstanding, she makes us a ton better and her attitude is great. Every since she’s been here she’s been just a pleasure to have in the gym. We were pretty excited when she decided to come that’s for sure.”

The 6-foot-2 Wewel was a three-time Fremont Tribune All-Area selection and helped the Lady Knights reach the semifinals of the state tournament in 2006 and 2007. She tallied a career mark of 984 kills and during her senior season set the Bergan single-season record with 432.

Gamble said Wewel will automatically become one of the top players for Midland along with former Fremont High standout Amanda Hunt.

Hunt, a 2005 graduate of FHS, tallied 330 kills to lead the team and finish seventh overall in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.

“Amanda and Halie are our two go-to’s on the floor,” Gamble said. “Amanda’s very vocal and wants to be successful so she’s definitely going to be our emotional leader.”

Also returning this fall is libero Britni Putnam who was second in the conference last season with 51 ace serves.

Gamble will also go with Megan Levesque at the other outside hitter position this season.

Still up for grabs, Gamble said, is the setter position and the other two outside positions.

With just a few weeks working with players, Gamble said his first three weeks have gone pretty smooth.

“The one thing that’s made it easy is the players,” he said. “We really have a good group of quality kids so it’s made it simple because they work hard every day.”

However, Gamble said his team is far from where he wants it to be.

“We have a long ways to go; we’ll find out more this weekend,” Gamble said. “We’re no where near where we have to be; our goal is to keep getting better every day as much as that might sound goofy and cliché.”

Gamble has high expectations for the future of the program but admits the team can’t get there overnight.

“The only thing I really expect this season is for us to work hard on every point,” he said. “We’re not putting anything out there as far as winning the conference or this record or that record or any goals like that; if we just go out and work hard every point then we put ourselves in position to win.”

The team opens the season Friday at the St. Ambrose Tourney in Davenport, Iowa which runs through Saturday.