UAA volleyball ready to ‘do some damage’ in second year under head coach Stacie Meisner

After playing 10 matches and compiling a 6-4 record over the past month during exhibition tournaments, the University of Alaska Anchorage volleyball team will embark on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference portion of its schedule this week with a pair of road matches.

“I think everyone is finally starting to settle in,” junior outside hitter Larssen Anderson said. “We had a lot of new people, lots of freshmen and some transfers. We have so much depth on this team and it takes a lot to mesh and connect. I think we’ve finally got to that point and are ready to go out and do some damage.”

Up first is a Thursday night bout with the formidable Red Leafs of Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. Two days later, the Seawolves take on the Vikings of Western Washington University.

“I think this is always an exciting time of year,” head coach Stacie Meisner said. “We had a productive preseason. We grew a lot as a team and I think made a lot of strides and we are excited to start GNAC play.”

Simon Fraser is led by an Alaskan, former West Anchorage High School standout Brooke Dexter, who last week eclipsed 1,000 career kills in a tightly contested five-set loss to defending Division II national champion California State Los Angeles.

“They’re going to be very good again this year,” Meisner said. “Obviously, Brooke in her senior year is playing very well and she’ll definitely be a force to be reckoned with. Their team as a whole is very experienced and they’ll provide some tough competition this week.”

Dexter is only a year older than Anderson, so they briefly played against each other in high school.

“She has always been a stud player, so I’m excited to see her on the court again,” Anderson said. “I was out last season with an injury so this is going to be my first time actually facing off against her.”

As excited as the Seawolves are to hit the road and get their conference play underway, they are “super stoked” about being able to host home games starting with their opener on Sept. 26 against Saint Martin’s.

“Energy is something that is really important in the game of volleyball, and it’s really hard to have that on the road, especially when we’re only traveling with 12 people so only six are on the bench,” Anderson said. “It’s tough to get a lot of energy when whatever (gym you’re in), the crowd is rooting against you.”

Heading into Year 2 as head coach

The 2023 season was Meisner’s first in charge of the entire program after being an integral assistant for six seasons under her mentor Chris Green, who was head coach from her time as a player for the Seawolves. There were inevitable growing pains with roster turnover and a new voice calling the shots. But Meisner said the team feels prepared to be even better this time around.

“Last year we had a lot of newness to the program,” Meisner said. “A lot of new players who were transfers in, my first year as head coach, and there was a lot of learning and growing from last year for all of us. I think we are very focused this year on what needs to be done for us to have a more successful season and we’re re ready to put in the work to do it.”

Some of the best players in program history, like 2023 graduate Eve Stephens, were plucked from the talent pool in the Last Frontier, and Meisner sees tremendous value in trying to keep Alaska’s big fish in their own pond.

“We always try to recruit the best players that we have in Alaska that want to stay here in state and play for their home team,” she said. “It’s great to have those players on the team and they’ve provided a lot for our program, and everybody that’s on the team wants to be here and wants to be part of that group that is representing Alaska.”

While Anderson transferred to UAA from Eastern Arizona College, she is originally from Anchorage and starred at the prep level for Dimond. She grew up coming to Seawolves games and is grateful for the chance to be back home and to play under someone who was a role model for her.

“Having my family being able to come to all the games and having people recognizing you around town and at the games is super special, so I’m proud to be a Seawolf,” Anderson said

She also thinks it is “super cool” that nearly a third of the Seawolves’ roster was born and raised in the 49th state.

“I love that we have so many local girls, and that’s what really draws crowds,” Anderson said.