Small group, big goals
After taking third in state in volleyball in 2004, a repeat trip eluded the Gonzaga Prep Bullpups last year. This season, the Bullpups have a new head coach in former assistant Greg Smith, who is hoping the change at the helm will be a smooth one.
“From the girls’ perspective, at least the seven seniors who were with us last year saw it as a new beginning,” said Smith, who assisted former head coach Lisa Phillips.
“I think they felt this change coming was inspiring and going to be a positive change. My philosophies and Lisa’s are pretty much the same. The delivery of that philosophy may be a little bit different.”
Two of those seven seniors expected to lead the Bullpups this season are middle blocker Leslie Whigham and libero Chrissy Topliff. Whigham is the only three-year varsity performer on the Prep roster.
“I was the only sophomore on the team that went to state,” said Whigham. “I try to share that with the other girls just to give them something to strive for, because we really do plan on going to state this year. They all get kind of googly-eyed wanting to see what it’s like also.”
“Her being the only one that’s been there, she’s done a fabulous job of giving kids verbal insight of what it’s like to walk into the state tournament the night before and see the floors and experience the ‘bigness’ of it,” said Smith, who was an assistant on that team.
Topliff is hoping to join her sister, Haley, as a participant in the state tournament. Haley was the first libero when the position was added to volleyball rosters two years ago when Prep went to state, and Chrissy has picked up where her older sister left off. Topliff also had an older sister, Lani McLauchlin, who played volleyball at Cheney High School and graduated in 2000.
“It has impacted me drastically,” said Topliff. “I don’t think my love of volleyball would be so strong if it wasn’t for them. I was always the youngest sister striving to be just as good. They really pushed me hard. My sister (Haley) played the same position I do, so it’s really helped. She was always there to give me pointers.”
The two seniors also are hoping their experience, as well as that of seniors Britnee Brown, Katie Mackin, Megan Higgins, Kristana Frucci and Alyssa Henke will rub off on the five underclassmen on the roster to help Prep get back to the top of the Greater Spokane League.
“Being a libero, I’m the leader of the back row, setting the defense and making sure everyone stays on cue in the back row,” said Topliff. “I think Leslie has done an awesome job with the front row being the leader up there. She’s the leader of the front and I’m the leader of the back.”
“Our main goal is to focus on what’s happening right now,” said Whigham. “Let’s focus on this one point, focus on this one game and then we’ll see where we can go from there.”
“They’re going to leave this program much better than when they got here,” said Smith. “That’s a tribute to this class of seven seniors. I think we’re going to do some pretty fabulous things with this tiny group.”