It will be different, but, Frontier volleyball is back

It's been 15 months since the Providence Argos won the 2019 Frontier Conference volleyball championship. That sounds like it wouldn't be right, but in fact, it is. Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Frontier volleyball has been on hold.

Now, though, after an entire fall, and more than a year without it, volleyball is back, as the league begins a special spring season.

Of course, there will be so much different about this season, including the fact that it is in the spring, and that teams haven't really played volleyball in over year. Add to that the schedule, where, now, teams will be playing each other on back-to-back days, a way to limit travel, as well as set game times Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. Add to that, Lewis-Clark State is no longer in the league, and this season, which is actually still the 2020 season, has all the makings of one of the most unusual and unique in Frontier Conference history.

That said, no matter how different things are, including no fans being allowed to attend the matches, the important thing is, volleyball is being played in the Frontier. The ladies will finally get their chance after having been away for so long. And at the end of the day, the league itself will be as tough, competitive and as exciting as ever, including a playoff-style tournament format to determine a conference champion in April.

So get ready, fans, because after 15 months, Frontier volleyball is ready to storm the court.

Here's a team-by-team breakdown of the Frontier heading into the first weekend of the new season.

Providence Argos

2019 Record: 11-3, 25-8, 1st in Frontier

Head Coach: Arunas Duda

OVERVIEW: The Argos won the last Frontier championship on their home floor, then competed at the NAIA national tournament. Now, they'll try and repeat that performance in this new-look Frontier season. The Argos did lose a ton of firepower from the 2019 squad, but All-Conference hitter Jensyn Turner is back, while setter Cydney Finberg-Roberts will be a great leader on the floor. Paige Dixon is another hitter to watch for the Argos, who once again, will have two big strengths, height and depth.

Montana Tech Orediggers

2019 Record: 10-4, 27-8, T2nd in Frontier

Head Coach: Brian Solomon

OVERVIEW: The Orediggers have been steadily on the rise in the Frontier, and in 2019, they really broke through. Fast forward to this spring, and Tech returns a pair of the most explosive offensive players in the Frontier in Maureen Jessop and Karina Mickelson, who combined for over 500 kills last season. Sarah Hopcroft is also an outstanding libero, while McKenna Kaebler is a top setter in the conference. Tech also has depth, and while the Diggers are still young, they can certainly challenge for the Frontier title, yet again.

Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears

2019 Record: 8-4, 19-12, T2nd in Frontier

Head Coach: Yang Yang

OVERVIEW: Yang finally gets to take over for the great Laurie Kelly, who retired after 2018. And Yang, a former All-American, has a Rocky squad that is as talented as ever. Miranda Gallagher is one of the top middles in the Frontier, while Natalie Hilderman was First-Team All-Conference setter in 2019. Libero Ayla Embry anchors the back row for RMC, which will once again be a top-tier team in the conference and beyond.

Carroll College Fighting Saints

2019 Record: 6-8, 17-12, 5th in Frontier

Head Coach: Moe Boyle

OVERVIEW: The Saints had a rare losing season in the Frontier back in 2019. It hasn't happened often, but don't expect Carroll to stay down, with First-Team All-Conference hitters Taelyr Kranzt and Lexxie Mikkelsen back. Sophia Spoja and many others give Carroll a tall presence at the net, while setter Ailiyah Williams also returns to engineer what should be a potent Carroll attack this season. And with all of that talent, there's no reason why the Saints shouldn't be right back in the hunt this season.

Montana Western Bulldogs

2019 Record: 2-10, 9-18, 6th in Frontier

Head Coach: Katie Lovett

OVERVIEW: The Bulldogs have long struggled in league play, and while they showed improvement in 2019, it wasn't enough to ascend. This season, Western will be a young team, led by senior libero Tannah Sellers and senior outside hitter Cady Siemon. Middle blocker Morgan Stenger should be one to watch, as well, but being so young, yet again, the league-only schedule will be tough on the Dawgs.

MSU-Northern Skylights

2019 Record: 0-14, 6-20, last in Frontier

Head Coach: Jerry Wagner

OVERVIEW: If there is a pick to be the surprise team in this spring season, it certainly should be the Skylights. While Northern hasn't won in league play in two seasons, the Skylights showed plenty of progress under Wagner in 2018, and they return a veteran team with the talents of Rylee Burmester, Shania Neubauer and Elissa Lind all returning. Outside hitter Abigail Ellison and middle blocker Tammy Maddock also return to a Northern lineup that should be very experienced and formidable this season.