Talladega Women’s Volleyball “The Job’s Not Finished”
By: Jarrett Hoffman, GCAC Staff Writer
The 2023 season for the Talladega Women's Volleyball team has been magical, to say the least, as they have made a complete turnaround from their production in years past.
The Tornadoes finished the regular season 28-8 overall record and a 15-1 record in conference play each of which set new school single-season records.
As a result, Talladega secured its first-ever regular season championship and claimed the number-one seed in the GCAC championship tournament.
Before the end of the season, first-year head coach LaShaunda Spurgeon spoke about when she saw things turn around for her team and it coincided with when the team returned from a midseason road trip.
"I honestly think the click or the switch was probably around when we came back from Fisk [in September]. Just having a conversation with them and just letting them know 'we've seen bits and pieces of that team that we are but we need that team to show up consistently'. We've done a great job but we've been a little up and down as far as our consistency. Some days we show up and we're that powerhouse team then other days we just go through the motions. Just trying to stay consistent and get to where we need to be but also realize that the job is not done. We're still building, we're still growing and it's bigger than this season."
The Tornadoes seemed to have got the message not only finishing the regular season strong but playing as that powerhouse in the conference tournament.
After sweeping Tougaloo and Philander Smith in the first two rounds, Talladega completed the hat trick sweeping Fisk in the Finals to claim its first-ever GCAC tournament championship.
Coach Spurgeon foreshadowed her team's success speaking about how she sees her team's drive for greatness in practice.
"I think that mentality of wanting to win and wanting to go further is there and that competitive edge is there. In practice, we go at it with each other. When we're up there's a fire in their eyes and seeing them on the court it's amazing. I tell them all the time I said 'I still 100% believe this team will continue to make history here at Talladega but we have to stay focused and know the job's not done'."
Coach Spurgeon talked about what it would mean for Talladega to represent HBCUs on the national stage and the steps it would take to become a national champion.
"Being able to represent HBCUs in general is special but being able to be on that level nationally would [definitely] be a great accomplishment. It's a goal that every coach wants obviously but you have to know it takes time. You have to take it step-by-step so I don't want to just completely jump 10 steps ahead and be like 'Oh yeah we're going to win a national championship'. First things first is I have to win [the] conference. I've been to the [conference] tournament this would be my fourth year. We [Dillard] went two years in a row undefeated and we got upset. So, I think for me as a coach, I got to get past that tournament. Then from there, I'll focus on that first round."
With the conference tournament championship now in the rearview, Talladega will have a chance to continue to make history as it competes in its first NAIA Women's Volleyball Opening Round. The Tornadoes enter the competition with a 31-8 overall record, one of just three teams in the NAIA to notch more than 30 wins this season. They will take on No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan on Saturday, November 18 at 7 p.m. at Luckey Arena in Marion, Ind. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for youth 6-17 years old.
The game will be streamed live online, and live stats are also available online.
