Volleyball resurgence
The early part of the 21st century wasn't very kind to Mesa volleyball.
While the T-Birds did have some success in the first five years of the new millennium, beginning in 2006 there was a drastic downturn in MCC volleyball fortunes. From that year until 2015, a total of ten seasons, Mesa volleyball produced a 40-191 record.
Then, just prior to the 2016 season, Megan Taylor arrived as MCC's new head coach. Everything quickly changed. A former assistant coach at Grand Canyon, as well as an outstanding player at GCU, Taylor brought winning ways to Mesa.
Since then the T-Birds have posted four consecutive winning seasons, hosted the Region I, DII championship tournament and reached the NJCAA national tournament for the first time since 1980.
A group that included nine freshmen on a 13-player roster greeted Taylor at the beginning of practice in 2016, coming off a 4-20 year a season before.
That team began with a bang, a victory over Division I Yavapai, en route to a 14-10 record and a berth in the Region I, DII playoffs for the first time in many years.
Youngsters led the way. For instance, although sophomore Breanna Scott led the team in kills per set at 2.99, the next two leaders were rookies: Leah Crist (2.33) and Raquel Valliere (2.18).
Both of MCC's two all-ACCAC selections that year were freshmen: Camy Cohn as a libero and Crist, a middle blocker.
With a year under their belts playing for a new coach, the T-Birds went even farther in 2017.
That team made a statement early, winning its first seven matches on the way to a 24-11 record and sixth place finish in the NJCAA national championship tournament in Charleston, W. Va.
Three players earned all-ACCAC honors this time, led by Crist who also became Mesa's first All-American since 2005 with her second team selection. Cohn was named Libero of the Year and an Honorable Mention all-conference choice. Paige Greenly was also an honorable mention selection.
That season also saw the T-Birds host the regional tournament, which they ultimately won with a victory over Scottsdale.
In Charleston, MCC was seeded seventh and took a 3-0 win over Iowa Central in its first match before finally dropping a 3-0 decision to perennial national-power Parkland (Ill.). Greenly was named to the all-tournament team.
Since then the winning ways have continued as the T-Birds have posted records of 17-10 and 16-11 over the past two seasons, showing that Mesa volleyball success is here to stay.
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