The UNM volleyball team kicks off its season this weekend at Wichita State University's Green Mill Restaurant Classic.
For the third year in a row the Lobos will be lead by a new coach - former Northern Arizona University volleyball head coach Kelly Sliva, who replaced departed coach Tom Petersen in June.
Sliva spent nine years at NAU compiling a record of 143-104 and a 79-57 in the Big Sky conference.
In 1999, Sliva took the Lumberjacks to their first NCAA Volleyball Championship appearance. She was also named coach of the year in 1999.
One thing that Sliva looks to do this year is rebuild the confidence of a program that has seen its struggles over the past couple of years.
"I look to influx a really positive energy," Sliva said "We just want to have fun and compete at a really high level."
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Fun is not something the team has enjoyed much of in the past year. In 2001 UNM posted an overall record of 5-20 and a conference record of 3-11.
"When you look at the history of the program, it hasn't been good," Sliva said. "I'm the third coach in the last three years, so they've been in transition two of last three years."
An important aspect in rebuilding the UNM team will be to get the veteran players to buy into their new coaches system.
So far it looks like the players are doing just that.
"We all have a lot more enthusiasm and we want to come and play the game," junior Lynzie Hayes said. "We don't dread practice anymore, it's something that we want to do."
The Lobos came into the season expecting to have the leadership and hard nosed play of senior setter Kelly Griffin.
That all changed when Griffin tore her ACL. She will ultimately miss the entire season. Adversities such as this are something that UNM will have to overcome if they want to be successful.
"Unfortunately we lost her on the first day of practice so we haven't even enjoyed her talents at all this year," Sliva said. "In sport like in life, you have to bounce back."
The season doesn't get any easier for the Lobos with a very tough out of conference schedule.
They play UCLA, Pepperdine and Arizona to name three.
"You have to respect every opponent you face," Sliva said. "You gotta respect them and not have any preconceived ideas of whether were gonna win or lose and compete and try to outwork them."
The Lobos are on track to rebuilding a volleyball program that was in dire need of a coach that could motivate and get the team to play together.
"She's tough on us but always backs it with a positive comment at the end," said fifth-year senior Vanessa Shields of Sliva. "I'm sad that it's my last year, I wish we would have had her the whole time."
UNM plays in two tournaments in Tucson, Ariz., Las Cruces and El Paso, Texas, before opening at home with the Lobo Invitational Sept. 20 and Sept. 21.
