Charger Volleyball Season Kicks Off

Edison State Community College's volleyball team kicked off the start of the 2024-25 athletics seasons on Friday, August 23. The Lady Chargers have worked hard to prepare for the season.

Head Coach Julia Brandewie is leading the Lady Chargers for the seventh season. Formerly serving two seasons under Shelby Pitsenbarger as an assistant coach, Brandewie brings many years of experience as a coach and player to Edison State's volleyball program.

Before joining the coaching staff at Edison State, Brandewie had a successful career on the court. In 2006, Brandewie was part of her high school's Division II State Champion team. Since then, she has competed internationally with Premier Volleyball Academy, played for Owens Community College, where she holds the record for 10th overall career kills, and received numerous accolades while playing for Siena Heights University.

The Lady Chargers returned to the court with three sophomores and 10 incoming freshmen.

"I have high expectations for this season," said Brandewie. "We have three strong starters returning: Brooklyn Bourne, Abigail Daniels, and Kyra Vermillion. Brooklyn was 1st Team All-Conference and 1st Team Region XII. Those three young women have grown into great leaders both on and off the court. I think their leadership will play a key role in our success."

She added, "We also have 10 incoming freshmen. I expect them to come in right away and make an impact on the team. This freshman class is special. They're each talented and have a high volleyball IQ, and I'm excited to watch them develop and grow. I don't think we'll rely as heavily on one hitter this season and will be able to distribute the ball more to keep our opponents on their toes."

The team suffered a series of losses during an opening weekend tournament held on August 23 and August 24 in Rockford, IL, but rallied to win their first conference matchup against Clark State College on August 28. The Lady Chargers then traveled to the Owens Invitational on Friday, August 30, and Saturday, August 31, where they came away with two wins and two losses. Their first home game will be Saturday, September 7, when they face Owens Community College in a conference matchup.

Sarah Pothast is joining Brandewie for the fourth season as an assistant coach. She played volleyball and women's basketball at Edison State and helped both teams advance to the District Tournament.

Edison State's volleyball team competes in the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) and as a Division II member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Visit athletics.edisonohio.edu for the latest news, upcoming games, and complete rosters.