Young Penn-Trafford girls volleyball team looking to soar under new coach

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, September 1, 2024 | 11:01 AM

The Penn-Trafford girls volleyball team has a new head coach.

Tracy McDonald, a 1998 graduate of Penn-Trafford, takes over for Jim Schall, who retired after coaching the girls team for 25 seasons.

McDonald, a middle hitter, played one year at St Francis (Pa.) before finishing her career at IUP.

She is a fourth grade teacher at McCullough Elementary School and has been a middle school or junior varsity coach since she graduated from college in 2002. She was the junior varsity coach under Schall the past three seasons.

Penn-Trafford returns a young, inexperienced squad.

Only three players return who saw varsity action in 2023: senior libero Kaci DePalma, senior outside hitter Kylie Anthony and senior middle hitter Kam Pieper.

“I’ve been coaching this group since they were in seventh grade,” McDonald said. “We have a good relationship. It’s not like they have a brand-new coach.”

Penn-Trafford opened the season with a 3-0 nonconference win against Penn Hills. They had another nonconference battle against Seneca Valley before opening Section 3-4A action against Latrobe at home Sept. 10.

The other teams in the section are Norwin, Hempfield, Plum and Connellsville. The Warriors scrimmaged Norwin, Derry and Kiski Area prior to their match against Penn Hills.

McDonald has an exciting group that she expects will mesh together well.

“Things have gone well so far,” McDonald said. “We’re a young team that I feel is headed in the right direction.”

The group includes seniors Maclaren Cenci (setter), Vienna Kearns (defensive specialist) and Olivia Popovich (outside hitter); juniors Ella Mains (defensive specialist), Cianna Culgan (defensive specialist), Eliyah McPherson (defensive specialist), Cylee Phillians (middle hitter), Mackenzie Furnish (middle hitter) and Rachel Ambrose (outside hitter); and sophomores Mia Prosdocimo (outside hitter), Ella McDonald (middle hitter), Josie Schubert (outside hitter) and Ava Ruane (setter).

McDonald said the strength of the team is its attitude and willingness to take criticism.

“They want to be in the gym and they get along well,” McDonald said. “The lack of varsity experience is a concern, but I think we will be in contention for a section title. The section will be competitive.”

McDonald said she relies on DePalma and Anthony be leaders on the court.

“They have to be in charge,” McDonald said. “I’m counting on them.”

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Penn-Trafford