DELAWARE — Camryn Coomer has been through it all over the course of her career — position changes, injuries, successes and failures. She wouldn’t change a thing.
The senior outside hitter enters her swan song for the Olentangy Orange girls volleyball team this season, a program that — like Coomer — has gone through a lot of change.
The Pioneers are replacing four starters off last year’s team, which went 24-3 and made the state tournament for the second time in program history.
“I think we’ve done a really good job of dealing with adversity and coming together as one unit,” Coomer said. “(We’re) trusting our coaches and putting in the hard work every practice. We know our goals and what it takes to get there.”
There are big shoes to fill, though. Orange is replacing its top two hitters in Maci Gerboth and Delaney McAtee, its top passer in Izzy Scholvin and its top defender in Emma Cugino.
Cugino now plays at the University of Texas, Scholvin at Texas State University, Gerboth at Marshall University and McAtee at West Virginia Wesleyan.
“They were a part of two final fours, which is pretty special,” said 12-year coach Katie Duy, whose team also was state runners-up in 2023. “(This year’s team is) a great group.
“We have great leadership at the top and some great seniors that have been a part of some great runs,” she said. “The younger ones (are buying in). I think that’s what makes us a great program.”
Coomer and fellow senior Chloe Moore are the epitome of change and leadership.
Coomer, for example, was a setter when she entered the program as a sophomore. Blocked by Scholvin for her first three years and wanting to make an impact on the floor, Coomer switched to outside hitter.
It was an adjustment.
“It’s two very different skill sets for sure,” Coomer said. “I always looked up to (Scholvin) and wanted to learn from her. But I also looked up to the program. At the end of the day, I just wanted to make an impact on Orange volleyball.”
Coomer struggled to adjust, at first. She went through an Achilles injury that began after the move, something she still deals with.
Last year, she was fourth on the team with 166 kills and had 253 digs and 69 aces as a full-rotation player.
“I would one thousand percent do it over again,” Coomer said. “It was definitely (taxing) on my body, for sure. I am so happy and grateful for the transition.”
Moore also has a background as a setter but moved to a defensive specialist when she got to Orange.
“Setting was definitely not my specialty,” Moore said. “(When you’re a) setter, you play right back (and the Orange coaches) realized I had some potential (on defense).
“Middle back was definitely a transition, and it took a lot of work and extra reps outside of practice to be able to get that down.”
Last year, Moore had 209 digs and 33 aces as a defensive specialist. Now, she’s making the transition to libero.
“(It’s) just like a quarterback,” Duy said. “You’re the leader of the defense. (Moore is) just a great athlete and (has been) very, very good for us. It’s been an easy transition for us because she buys in and she works so hard.”
Coomer and Moore are joined by classmates Kenzie Renshaw (middle hitter; 91 kills) and Sydney Roberts (setter; 510 assists, 224 digs, 47 aces), who is in her first year with the program after previously playing at Thomas Worthington, and junior Brianna Bush (outside hitter; 331 digs, 179 kills, 74 aces).
The Pioneers opened the season with a 25-12, 25-16, 25-16 home victory over Newark in non-league play on Aug. 20. Comer led with 10 kills, Bush added seven and senior middle hitter Kenzie Renshaw had six.
Moore had nine digs and four aces and Roberts had 29 assists against the Wildcats.
Orange is scheduled to face Mason and Gates Mills Gilmour Academy on the first day of the Columbus Invitational Tournament August, which takes place Aug. 28-29 at FieldhouseUSA.
The Pioneers open OCC-Central Division play against Hilliard Davidson on Sept. 15. In league play, Orange enters the year with three titles in a row and are on a 30-match winning streak.
“We definitely lost a lot of talent,” Coomer said. “But our mindset is more about grit and the underdog mentality. (We’re) attacking every game like we’re one unit.”
