BAY MINETTE, Ala. - Coming off a record setting 2012 season, the Faulkner State Community College Lady Sun Chief volleyball team has high hopes for even better things in 2013.

Faulkner won a school best 27 volleyball matches last season, finished second in the state tournament, went to the national tourney and ended up ranked 16th in the nation.

Longtime head coach Ritchie Dulaney was named Coach of the Year but Dulaney and her assistant John Dussouy didn’t rest on their laurels. They went out an recruited another outstanding class to go with players returning.

When the Lady Chiefs begin fall practice on August 13, eleven newcomers will join six returning sophomores and a transfer on the practice court.

Among the freshmen are Shannon Blanchard, Zhaniece Parker, Shelby Brown, JoBeth Hughes, Bethany Coley, Blakley Lecroy, Meagan Dobbins, Macy Roe, Cashe' Williams, Destini Moran, and Alicia McCord.

Blanchard is a 5'2" libero from Clay Chalkville of the Birmingham area.

Parker is a 5'9" outside hitter from Covington, Louisiana and Brown is also 5'9" and a setter from Sparkman High.

Hughes is 5'10" and a middle hitter from Mobile Murphy and Coley is a 5'8" hitter from Robertsdale. Another outside hitter is 5'9" Lecroy from Pinson Valley.

Dobbins also comes from Murphy and is a 5'5" setter, Roe is a 5'9" outside hitter from Mobile Baker, Williams is a 5'11" middle hitter from Clay Chalkville, Moran is a 5'6" setter from Salmen High in Slidell, Louisiana, and McCord is a 5'8" hitter from Oxford, Alabama.

Waiting for the freshmen are six key returnees from last year's squad along with a Faulkner University transfer.

Mary Robinson and Tahmya Newsome, both from Enterprise, return as middle hitters after earning post season honors. The 5'10" Robinson was named first team All-ACCC and All Tournament while Newsome (5'9") earned second team All-ACCC and also took All Tournament team honors.

A third sophomore, 5'11" outside hitter Ashlee Foret from New Orleans, also was named second team All-ACCC.

Kim Hernandez, a 5'4" sophomore from Fort Rucker, Alexis Treace, 5'8" from Spanish Fort, and 5'8" Brooke Presnell from Mobile all also return.

Transfer Jasmine Lee-Stackhouse, 6' and from Century, Florida will be a sophomore after transferring in from Faulkner University.

This will be Dulaney’s 25th year as a college head coach. She has spent the past 18 years at Faulkner after six seasons at South Alabama.

Faulkner went 12-2 in conference play last year before earning a berth in the national tournament with a strong runnerup finish in the state tourney.

The Sun Chiefs posted an unbeaten 9-0 match mark at home last season.

FSCC opens at home on August 30, hosting Jeff Davis of Brewton in a 6 p.m. contest at Robertson Arena in Bay Minette. They remain at home for a Sept. 5 meeting with always strong Wallace-Hanceville.

That match starts at 5 pm. at Robertson.