Under Janie Wiggins, ACCC Coach of The Year, the LBW volleyball team enjoyed a second successful season. They reached the postseason for only the second time in program history.
The Saints ended the year with a record of 20-17 overall and 15-9 in ACCC matches. The team was 10-5 at home, 7-10 away, and 3-1 in neutral matches.
“We had an incredible season. This would not have been possible without all the hard work that the team has done since the end last season. They were hard workers in the spring as well as throughout the summer. Wiggins stated that the girls were serious about summer training and reported being in good shape.
She expressed gratitude for the chance to be a part of the Saints volleyball team. “LBW is a close-knit family. It has been a pleasure to welcome in players and see them grow from being strangers into family. It is amazing to see how close the team has become, and this is because it was our priority to make them a family.
LBW started the season with four consecutive five set matches. In August, they went 3-2. Through the first six matches of September, the team had alternating wins and losses. The team lost to Coastal-South, Wallace-Hanceville and Pearl River before winning three consecutive games. Pensacola state and Pensacola were also defeated. The Saints won eight consecutive games, including a 3-2 win at home over Wallace-Hanceville, the conference champion.
With a showing of 1-3 at the Palatka tournament, Florida, the team concluded a 19-15 regular season. LBW was the sixth seed in the NJCAA Gulf Atlantic District Tournament. Monroe College won the first match. The Saints avoided elimination with a 3-1 victory over Coastal-East, but lost the season to Coastal-South 3-0. The Saints participated in 14 five-set matches and had a 7-7 record.
“It was a difficult battle to make it to this postseason. We brought so many teams down to five sets. We struggled to win these battles early in the season. We learned from the matches that we lost and it encouraged us to continue fighting and outworking the opposing team. The team was willing to work hard to improve and listen. She stated that the goal of this season was to make the playoffs, and the goal for next year’s is to reach the final four.”
Wiggins said that the team had learned many valuable life lessons during the year.
They learned that life is not always easy and that things aren’t always going your way. They realized that they could not give up, and they had to continue working hard while relying on their team. It’s not about winning, but about building lifelong friendships.
LBW hopes to build on this season’s success, and prepare for its third year in 2023.
“This team understood the value of team chemistry, hard work and team chemistry. As we face fierce competition in our conference, it will be another difficult season. There is much work ahead of us in spring, which I believe will make us stronger for the fall.
Wiggins was named the Alabama Community College Conference Coaches of the Year during the Mobile district tournament. “It was an honor to be awarded this award by the conference coaches. I admire the ACCC coaches for putting so much effort into their programs. She said, “I still have a hard time understanding it, but I am so grateful.”
At the conclusion of the season, two sophomores were also awarded conference honors. Maddie Rasmussen, a setter, was named to the 2022 All ACCC First Team and All Tournament Team. Brianna Wilson, a middle hitter, was selected to the Second Team.
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