ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington volleyball team officially began practice this week as the 2021 season quickly approaches.
 
"We're very excited about being back in the gym," said head coach J.T. Wenger. "We added a lot of depth over the offseason to a team that brings back a ton of experience."
 
Some of the experience that returns is reigning Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year Alli Wells. Wells exploded on the scene in 2020 ending the season with the 7^th most digs per set in the NCAA and 3^rd most total digs in the country.
 
The Mavericks will also return three other Sun Belt All-Conference selections from 2020 in sophomore's Brianna Ford and Briana Brown, as well as senior Brooke Townsend. Ford, Brown, and Townsend combined to score over 50 percent of UTA's points in 2020. Overall, UTA returns nearly 90 percent of their total points from a season ago.
 
There will be six newcomers for the Mavericks in 2021, including three freshman – defensive specialist Kaylen Beaty (Fort Worth, Texas; Boswell HS), outside hitter Lauren Staruch (Lake Orion, Mich.; Lake Orion HS), and middle blocker Monica LaFleur (Hartland, Wisc.; Arrowhead HS).

Transfers make up the final three newcomers – junior outside hitter Nya Blair (Grand Prairie, Texas; San Diego State), sophomore defensive specialist Emily Larson (Nashotah, Wisc.; UW-Green Bay), and graduate senior middle blocker Kainah Williams (Spring Branch, Texas; Liberty).
 
UTA will take on Stephen F. Austin in a scrimmage on Friday, August 20 in Nacogdoches before heading to Abilene to play in the ACU Tournament on Friday, August 27. The home opener for the Mavericks will be on September 3 when they host Tulsa in the UTA Classic.
 
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