By GALEN WELLNICKI

With the start of the UIL volleyball season less than three weeks away, coach Jenny Richardson's Georgetown's Lady Eagles will begin serious preparations this coming week (July 29-August 1) with four days of their annual summer camp with daily sessions on four levels.

That will be followed by two days of tryouts on Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 5-6) to fill out the rosters for the program's four teams -- varsity, junior varsity, JV Flex and Freshman A. Following the tryouts and two days of practice, GHS will scrimmage at Austin Westlake on Friday, Aug. 9, and return home Saturday, Aug. 10, for a second day of scrimmages.

The regular campaign will begin on Tuesday, Aug. 13, with home matches matches on all levels with Leander. The non-district portion of the schedule will include three varsity tournament appearances -- the GHS/East View/Leander event on Aug. 15-17, the New Braunfels Volleyfest on Aug. 22-24 and the Leander ISD Volleypalooza on Aug. 29-31.

Under the UIL's latest realignment the Lady Eagles will move into a seven-team District 23-5A with East View, Elgin and four Pflugerville ISD teams, traditional power Hendrickson, Pflugerville High, Connally and Weiss, which has dropped down from 6A. The biggest change in the district alignment moved Bastrop and Bastrop Cedar Creek out of GHS' district and into a grouping with Austin ISD 5A schools.

With Richardson, JV coach Shelbi Goode, Freshman A coach Jason Allgood and all-purpose assistant Kate Strahan returning, there will be only one change on the GHS staff. Ashlen LaCanne, who moves up from Benold Middle School, will replace Lacey Blissit as the JV/Flex coach. Blissit will be moving to full-time softball duty. LaCanne's second sport at GHS will be soccer, which she coached at Benold.

The 12-match 23-5A campaign will begin on Friday, Sept. 13, against Connally.

Richardson will be returning the core talent from last year's 33-16 team that took a disappointing 3-2 loss in the area round of the playoffs after jumping to a 2-0 lead in the match at Hearne. GHS and Hendrickson tied for the 24-5A title with 13-1 records, but the Lady Eagles bested the Hawks, 3-0, in a playoff match for the district's top post-season seeding.

Returning are University of Texas recruiting pledge Addi Gaido (6-5, Sr., hitter), McKenzie Bernard (6-2, Sr., middle), Reagan Ramirez (5-8, Sr., libero), Issabella Casanova (5-7, Sr., setter), Sadie McCauley (5-9, Sr., hitter), Senior Sophia Jazesf (5-11, Sr., middle), Molly O'Shaughnessy (5-11, Sr., hitter) and Allison O'Shaughnessy (5-11, Sr., setter).

Additional help should be coming up from last year's sub-varsity teams as the JV posted a 14-0 markin district, the JV/Flex a 13-1 and the Freshman an 8-0.

Gaido, who has more than 1,000 kills in her varsity career, was the 24-5A offensive MVP last season and Bernard claimed the alignment's blocker of the year nod for the second straight season. Ramirez, who set a school season record with 868 digs and Hendrickson senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Kara Wynn shared the district MVP recognition. Gaido and Ramirez were named the GHS MVP's at the postseason banquet. Casanova has more than 1,000 career assists.

Again this season, GHS and Hendrickson are expected to be the prime contenders for the 23-5A title.

In bi-district this coming season, 23-5A will be matched up against pairings from eight-team 24-5A, which has six Austin ISD schools -- Anderson, Ann Richards, Crockett, LASA, McCallum and Navarro -- and Bastrop and Cedar Creek. Last season, Georgetown swept Crockett, 3-0, in bi-district.

Off the court this past season, Georgetown volleyball was honored for having a 3.7 grade-point average on a four-point scale.

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PRESEASON SCHEDULE

GHS Volleyball Camp

July 29-Aug. 1

Daily Schedule

 Grades K-4 -- 8:15-11:30 a.m.; Grades 5-8 -- 8:15-12:30 p.m. Grade 9 -- 1-4:15 p.m. Grades 10-12 -- 1:30-4 p.m.

***

Program Tryouts

 Monday, Aug. 5 -- 8:30-11 a.m., 12:30-3:30 p.m. (Lunch -- 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.).

 Tuesday, Aug. 6 -- 8:30-11 a.m., 12:30-3:30 p.m. (Lunch -- 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.). Tryout results envelopes passed out.

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Parents Meeting (Thursday, Aug. 8)

 5:30 p.m. -- GHS main gym.

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Scrimmages

Friday, Aug. 9 -- At Austin Westwood (all levels TBA).

Saturday, Aug. 10 -- Georgetown High Schools (all levels TBA).

***

REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULES

VARSITY

Tuesday, Aug. 13 -- Leander (Choose Happy), 6 p.m.

Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 15-17 -- GHS/East View/Leander Tournament (TBA).

Tuesday, Aug. 20 -- at Round Rock, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 22-24 -- at New Braunfels Volleyfest (TBA).

Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 29-31 -- at Leander ISD Volleypalooza (TBA).

Tuesday, Sept. 3 -- Liberty Hill (Sun City Night), 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept, 6 -- at Austin Westlake, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 10 -- Cedar Park (Madison Shoals Night), 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 13 -- at Pflugerville Connally, 6:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Sept. 17 -- East View (Middle School/Elementary Night), 6:30 p.m.*

Friday, Sept. 20 -- at Elgin, 6:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Sept. 24 -- Pflugerville Hendrickson, 6:30 p.m.*

Friday, Sept. 27 -- at Pflugerville Weiss, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 1 -- Round Rock Cedar Ridge (Faculty Night), 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 4 -- Pflugerville (Homecoming), 6:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 8 -- Pflugerville Connally (Senior Night), 6:30 p.m.*

Thursday, Oct. 10 -- at East View, 6:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 15 -- Elgin (Dig Pink), 6;30 p.m.*

Friday, Oct. 18 -- at Pflugerville Hendrickson, 5:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 22 -- Pflugerville Weiss, 6:30 p.m.*

Friday, Oct. 25 -- Round Rock (Parents Night), 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 29 -- at Pflugerville, 6:30 p.m.*

* -- Denotes District 23-5A Game.

***

JUNIOR VARSITY

Tuesday, Aug. 13 -- Leander, 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 20 -- at Round Rock, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 3 -- Liberty Hill, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 6 -- at Austin Westlake, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7 -- at Stony Point JV Tournament, TBA.

Tuesday, Sept. 10 -- Cedar Park, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 13 -- at Pflugerville Connally, 5:30 p.m.*

Saturday, Sept. 14 -- GISD Sub-Varsity Tournament, TBA.

Tuesday, Sept. 17 -- East View (Middle School/Elementary Night), 5:30 p.m.*

Friday, Sept. 20 -- at Elgin, 5:30 p.m.*

 Tuesday, Sept. 24 -- Pflugerville Hendrickson, 5:30 p.m.*

Friday, Sept. 27 -- at Pflugerville Weiss, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 1 -- Round Rock Cedar Ridge (Faculty Night), 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 4 -- Pflugerville (Homecoming), 6:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 8 -- Pflugerville Connally (Senior Night), 5:30 p.m.*

Thursday, Oct. 10 -- at East View, 5:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 15 -- Elgin (Dig Pink), 5;30 p.m.*

Friday, Oct. 18 -- at Pflugerville Hendrickson, 5:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 22 -- Pflugerville Weiss, 5:30 p.m.*

Friday, Oct. 25 -- Round Rock (Parents Night), 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 29 -- at Pflugerville, 5:30 p.m.*

* -- Denotes District 23-5A Game.

***

JV FLEX

Tuesday, Aug. 13 -- Leander, 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 20 -- at Round Rock, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 3 -- Liberty Hill, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 5-Saturday, Sept. 7 -- At Lake Belton Tournament, TBA.

Friday, Sept. 6 -- at Austin Westlake, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 10 -- Cedar Park, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 13 -- at Pflugerville Connally, 5:30 p.m.*

Saturday, Sept. 14 -- GISD Sub-Varsity Tournament, TBA.

Tuesday, Sept. 17 -- East View (Middle School/Elementary Night), 5:30 p.m.*

Friday, Sept. 20 -- at Elgin, 5:30 p.m.*

Saturday, Sept. 21 -- at Stony Point Tournament, TBA.

Tuesday, Sept. 24 -- Pflugerville Hendrickson, 5:30 p.m.*

Friday, Sept. 27 -- at Pflugerville Weiss, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 1 -- Round Rock Cedar Ridge (Faculty Night), 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 4 -- Pflugerville (Homecoming), 5:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 8 -- Pflugerville Connally (Senior Night), 5:30 p.m.*

Thursday, Oct. 10 -- at East View, 5:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 15 -- Elgin, 5;30 p.m.*

Friday, Oct. 18 -- at Pflugerville Hendrickson, 5:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 22 -- Pflugerville Weiss, 5:30 p.m.*

Friday, Oct. 25 -- Round Rock (Parents Night), 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 29 -- at Pflugerville, 5:30 p.m.*

* -- Denotes District 23-5A Game

***

FRESHMAN A

Tuesday, Aug. 13 -- Leander, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 20 -- at Round Rock, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 27 -- At Belton, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 3 -- Liberty Hill, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 5-Saturday, Sept. 7 -- At Lake Belton Tournament, TBA.

Friday, Sept. 6 -- at Austin Westlake, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 10 -- Legacy Ranch, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 13 -- at Pflugerville Connally, 4:30 p.m.*

Saturday, Sept. 14 -- GISD Sub-Varsity Tournament, TBA.

Tuesday, Sept. 17 -- East View (Middle School/Elementary Night), 6:30 p.m.*

Friday, Sept. 20 -- Open Date (Elgin does not field a team).

Saturday, Sept. 21 -- at Stony Point Tournament, TBA.

Tuesday, Sept. 24 -- Pflugerville Hendrickson, 6:30 p.m.*

Friday, Sept. 27 -- at Pflugerville Weiss, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 1 -- Round Rock Cedar Ridge (Faculty Night), 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 4 -- Pflugerville (Homecoming), 6:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 8 -- Pflugerville Connally (Senior Night), 6:30 p.m.*

Thursday, Oct. 10 -- at East View, 6:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 15 -- Open Date (Elgin does not field a team).

Friday, Oct. 18 -- at Pflugerville Hendrickson, 6:30 p.m.*

Tuesday, Oct. 22 -- Pflugerville Weiss, 6:30 p.m.*

Friday, Oct. 25 -- Round Rock (Parents Night), 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 29 -- at Pflugerville, 6:30 p.m.*

* -- Denotes District 23-5A Game.