TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (August 19, 2019) - The Salt Lake Community College volleyball team had a successful training camp, mixing preparation with team bonding. The results were strong and the Bruins appear to be ready to start the 2019 season on a high note.

The Bruins will open the 2019 season with a strong slate of matches. While the team will have adversity along the way in the preseason, the Bruins are pushing into a season-opening tournament in Wyoming with confidence after the success of their training camp.

SLCC coach Sue Dulaney said the intensity of her camp helps to accomplish several things.

"As a coaching staff, our first job was to get to know the players," she said. "We created various on-court opportunities and experienced off-court challenges. The process becomes a give-and-take and our players begin to understand and see the investment of the coaching staff and begin to understand the steps needed to be successful."

Besides the upcoming tournament this weekend, Salt Lake will have other transition as it not only will face another opponent but it also transitions from training camp with no school to a schedule where student-athletes are attending classes. The schedule change serves as both a new opportunity but a strong challenge, in the eyes of Dulaney.

"Classes begin with our first road trip, which are new challenges, but will be fun and exciting," she said. "We have a solid base to build on and preseason camp afforded us the time to grow."

Salt Lake has a roster mixed with experience and youth entering 2019, with returners like Ariane Pola and Holland Vande Merwe anchoring the returners. Newcomers such as Kenadee Christiansen and Jessa Gines are also expected to contribute for Salt Lake. 

The Bruins will play a pair of matches on Friday and Saturday, facing Northeastern Junior College and hosting Casper College on Friday. SLCC will play Northwest College and Sheridan College on Saturday. The slate of traditionally-strong Region 9 teams will provide good opposition and a firm measuring stick for Salt Lake heading into the season.

"Our game plan is to control what we can control and those specific points have been talked about, noted, and watched in film sessions," Dulaney said. "Wins and losses start counting this weekend and we are prepared for the challenge."