The Hillsdale College volleyball team will look quite different this year.

But the high expectations will remain for the Chargers, as new faces step in and old faces step into new roles looking to keep a streak of seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances and eight straight seasons with a G-MAC Championship intact.

Nine players depart from a 2024 squad that went 22-5 and 14-1 in G-MAC play, including four of the Chargers' top five points scorers and team leaders in kills, aces, blocks, assists and digs.

Replacing the production of a strong group that included two All-Americans will be a challenge, but also an opportunity for a young and talented returning group that saw spot action last year and has been waiting in the wings for their chance to shine.

Hillsdale does return three key contributors who played major roles last year in senior Adi Sysum, who was part of the team's middle hitter rotation and finished fourth on the Chargers in points and second in blocks, senior Josie TeSlaa, who was one of the team's two setters in Hillsdale's 6-2 lineup and played in every match, and junior Chloe Pierce, who played an important role in the back row for the Chargers and will compete for the open libero position.

Retooling the front row will be a priority for Hillsdale as the Chargers lose several key contributors on the attack. Along with Sysum, Hillsdale also is expecting big things from sophomores Ellie Fles, Caroline Lanicek and Jenna Southland, all of whom impressed in limited playing time in 2024 and will have a shot at substantially bigger roles this season. Juniors Marcelina Gorny and Molly Kennedy also have valuable experience up front and will be in contention for expanded playing time, as will sophomore Hannah Baker.

Two players who missed the 2024 season with injuries could be key X-Factors for Hillsdale in 2025. Junior Emory Braswell was second on the team in kills in 2023 before missing all of 2024, and with better health in 2025 could be the solution on the outside for the Chargers. Redshirt freshman Ella Byrum was pushing hard for playing time in the back row in the 2024 preseason as well before suffering a season-ending injury, and now recovered will be in the mix to take over the libero position for Hillsdale.

With so many jobs up for grabs, there's a tremendous opportunity for a four-player freshman class to make a significant early impact. Grace Drake has an opportunity to step into the rotation as the team's second setter if Hillsdale sticks with a 6-2 system, while Madison Peal is a real talent in the back row and will compete with Pierce and Byrum for the libero spot. Outside hitters Taylor Cook and Maddie Krappmann are talented and decorated prep players who will push the returners and fight for a rotation spot as well.

Hillsdale must prepare for a G-MAC schedule that will be as competitive as the team has seen since it joined the league in the fall of 2017. Although Findlay hasn't won a share of the regular season conference crown since 2017, the Oilers will enter the 2025 season as the favorite to end that drought, bringing back most of a talented squad that stunned Hillsdale in the G-MAC Tournament last season and also beat the Chargers in the NCAA Tournament on the way to a first-ever Sweet 16 appearance. Ashland, Cedarville and Walsh all have talented squads as well, and fellow North Division foes Northwood and Tiffin are both dangerous. 

The Chargers will get a great sense of where they stand entering conference play with two tough invitationals in the first two weeks of the season. Hillsdale travels to Florida on September 5 and 6 to kick off the season in a invitational hosted by Florida Southern and former Hillsdale College great Ashlee Crowder, who coaches the Mocs. The Chargers then return to the state of Michigan on September 12 and 13 for another invitational hosted by one of the top teams in the Midwest Region, Grand Valley State.

The Chargers open G-MAC play and play their first matches at home on Sept. 19 and 20. Hillsdale hosts Ohio Dominican at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19 and plays Cedarville the following day at 1 p.m. You can find the full schedule here.