The Butler Grizzlies look to recapture the magic from last year's best season in program history as they head into the new season in 2022.

The Grizzlies went 37-4 and a perfect 16-0 in conference play in a season that saw Lisa Lechtenberg's team capture their first ever conference title, and also saw the Grizzlies take their first ever trip to the national tournament, winning two matches in Hutchinson against Wallace State and Snow College before falling to New Mexico Military Institute in the National Semifinal. 

Lechtenberg, the reigning KJCCC Coach of the Year, will be tasked with replacing last year's stellar sophomore class, with household names with the likes of Carly Clennan, Kayli Duncan, Jaryn Benning, Caitlyn Rexrtoat and Vanja Przulj all transferring to four year programs. 

"We lost a great group of girls from last season," Lechtenberg said. "They were a great group of volleyball players who will have their names in this programs history for years to come. They led the way and build the foundation for this program and put Butler on the map on a national scale. Our freshmen last year who are sophomores now, they don't know any better than what they did last year and I'm hoping they bring that mentality with them this year."

Leading the way for the Grizzlies this season will be sophomores Mahlia Glass, Macie Shaver, Rainey Aven, Ivy Fink, and Macey Adams who all featured heavily during last year's incredible run, specifically returning All-KJCCC players in Ivy Fink and Rainey Aven. Butler also will return Sydney Lentz, who looks to get back on the floor after an injury spoiled her freshman season just a week in last year.

Ivy Fink finished her freshman season with 341 kills, just four behind NJCAA All-American teammate Jaryn Benning. Fink also recorded 291 digs and had 36 aces on the season. Rainey Aven and Macie Shaver both return to the Grizzlies 6-2 attack combining for 1,335 assists, Shaver (692) and Aven (643). Carrie Roe is back on the outside after playing in 22 matches last season and finishing with 43 kills. Macey Adams played in 39 matches last season and was a key part of the Grizzlies success. Returner Mahlia Glass is also back after toaling six aces and 12 digs during her freshman campaign.

The Grizzlies freshman class is made up of six true freshman and three transfers. The Grizzlies add an international flare to the roster this fall with two players from Europe, as Italian Greta Santini and Portugal native Luana Gigante make their way to El Dorado, both playing at the outside hitter position. Mikayla Woodward transfers in from Mott College but is a native of Pipawin, Saskatchewan in Canada. 

"This is a group of girls that just gets it. They understand volleyball, they have caught on fast to our offense and our defense, which is a really positive thing," Lechtenberg said. "This is a composed freshman group. They want to work hard, they want to play and they want to compete. They're a good group." 

The Grizzlies will have to hit the ground running, opening the season on Friday, August 19th in Council Bluffs, Iowa against the defending back-to-back national champions and preseason No. 1 pick in Iowa Western at the Reiver Classic. They will follow that up just hours later with a match against Missouri State West Plains, who also made the national tournament in Hutchinson last season and are preseason ranked No. 3. The Grizzlies will see Iowa Western twice and West Plains three times this season and will also face tough tests from Tyler and Jefferson, both of whom won their regions and appeared in Hutchinson in 2021, in what may be the toughest non-conference slate the Grizzlies have ever faced. Not to mention games with NJCAA Top-20 teams in Western Nebraska, Seward and Indian Hills.

"The first couple of years here, we really had to fight to get people to play us," mentioned Lechtenberg. "It will give us a chance to see what we're up against and to see where we need to be. Our schedule is full of really good teams this year and that's exciting."

Butler returns home for the first time in 2022 on August 24th, starting league action at the Power Plant against Cloud County. The Grizzlies ended last season unbeaten at home in 2021, winning all 15 matches they played in El Dorado, dropping only two sets all season at home. Butler was also 16-0 in conference play, as they cruised through the Jayhawk Conference en route to their first ever title on the Division I side.

"Day in and day out it's always competitive in our conference," said Lechtenberg. "I think we have one of the toughest conferences in the nation."

The Grizzlies come off their most successful season ever in 2021, but Lechtenberg believes that her team remains hungry.

"After getting that taste of winning the conference championship, and then the taste of going to the national tournament, that was such a wonderful experience for the girls, and the girls played hard and did well. But we can't look back at what happened last year, and we can't look too far forward," said Lechtenberg.

"We've got to take it one match at a time. We have to play BUCO ball, we've got to take care of what we're going to do best. And then, hopefully, things fall into place for us."