Princeton volleyball restarts under new head coach – Shaw Local
Libby Boyles (back center) is the sixth head volleyball coach in Princeton’s history and the youngest at 21. (Mike Vaughn)
After closing out longtime head volleyball coach Andy Puck’s 24-year tenure at Princeton with a regional championship last fall, the Tigresses are doing a hard reset to start the season as they look to extend their success into a new era.
First-year head coach Libby Boyles, a 2022 Princeton graduate, is tasked with taking over a program that has run on autopilot for several years and replacing nearly the entire starting lineup.
As part of that process, Boyles took the unusual step of conducting tryouts for this year’s team. Puck, who initially suggested the tryouts, estimated this was the first time in 20 years Princeton had required players to do so.
“I saw a lot of big eyes when I announced at an open gym that we were going to have tryouts,” Boyles said. “That was a big change … but it was kind of the only way we were going to make this work. I thought it was a compliment to me that people [stayed and] wanted to see what the change was like. It was a hard decision to make because no coach wants to start a season like that, but change is inevitable sometimes.”
Many of the 16 athletes who made the squad are already familiar with Boyles, who coached much of this year’s junior class at the junior high and club levels.
I think it’s been really good,” junior setter Payten Harden said. “We all kind of know her. She’s coached us before and helped us for club. We all know how she coaches, and her coaching style, and I think it’s really brought us together because she likes to have fun but still get the work done.”
Princeton’s Ava Kyle receives a serve during a match last season. (Scott Anderson)
Harden and classmate Addi Parry will both serve as setters in Boyles’ offense, which will require hitters to learn how to adjust to how each handles the ball.
“Addi was a setter last year, and Payten was a [defensive specialist], but her club team figured out she was a pretty stellar setter, too,” Boyles said. “They set differently, so we’re making sure all of our hitters are acclimated to both setters and can adjust to both. So we’re really working on [acknowledging] every set is not going to be perfect, and being able to handle balls that are out of system. I want to see the hitters grow with some more confidence.”
Harden is also one of the Tigresses’ team captains, alongside senior middle hitter Danika Burden and senior libero Ava Kyle. Junior Payton Brandt is set to join Burden up front for Princeton, while junior Jocelyn Strouss and sophomore Kolbi Lawson have emerged as the top options at outside hitter. Senior Olivia Sandoval and junior Annie Thompson will see time on the back row as defensive specialists.
Brandt is going to be a powerhouse. She’s got a tough swing. We’re working with her on working around blocks, and then blocking as well,” Boyles said. “Kolbi Lawson also has just a powerful swing. We’re working on some control with her. She plays to a level that doesn’t show she’s a sophomore. Jocelyn Strouss was a little timid as a freshman, but now she’s come out of her shell, and it’s just transformed her as a player.”
The Tigresses open the season at the Hall Early Bird Tournament on Aug. 29.