The Georgia College & State University women’s soccer and women’s volleyball seasons have gotten underway. The women’s soccer team looks to improve upon its semifinal appearance in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament from the previous season, and the volleyball team looks to skip the play-in tournament altogether.

The women’s soccer team finished 9-7-3 overall in the previous year, with a 4-3-2 record in conference play, hosting and defeating Clayton State 2-1 in the quarterfinals, but fell 0-2 to Columbus State in the following round. 

“We had our best season in nine years last year, finishing fourth, and that’s the goal again this year, being in that top four, being in the conversation, and we want to be hosting a postseason game again,” said Jack Marchant, the GCSU women’s soccer coach. 

The women’s soccer team graduated 14 seniors in 2024, leaving a significant gap in experience for the players. The women’s soccer team brought in a new first-year class of eight. 

“I’ve been really impressed with the upperclassman. They’re starting to lead the way, and teach the younger ones and allow the young ones to be who they are and go perform on the field. It’s been really pleasing to see those juniors step up,” said Marchant. 

The women’s volleyball team finished 8-21 overall and 0-8 in the previous season losing its final seven contest, and falling to Augusta in the first round of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament; however, with every new season comes the ability to make some noise, and it seems that the women’s volleyball team is ready to shake things up this season. 

“I feel good about the new season. I think the mentality in the gym has made a very big shift. So that’s what I’m very excited about, and I think all the girls feel that, too. There’s an environment where everybody wants to work hard and work hard for each other,” said Abigail King, the GCSU women’s volleyball coach. 

The women’s volleyball team also brought in many new players, including first-year students and transfers.

“We’ve started very, very hopeful for the season. We have a great, brand-new team. We brought in a bunch of new freshmen and transfers that all bring new strengths to the team that we hadn’t had before,” said Sadie Parkerson, a sophomore setter for the volleyball team.

While the previous season may have been a struggle for the Bobcat volleyball team, King brings a mindset that could help alleviate the team’s woes from the prior season. 

“When we leave the court, win or lose, we make sure that the team on the other side of us had to play the best that they possibly could to beat us,” said King. 

The mindsets of the players have changed, seeing the struggles of the previous year, and turning them into a fierce new determination to shake up the conference this year.

“We’re disciplined, and we’re ready to fight against these bigger teams,” said Parkerson.

To begin the year, the women’s soccer team has opened up to a 1-2-1 record. However, its first win was a big one, with a 4-0 victory over the Blazers of Valdosta State University, and the women’s volleyball team sits at 5-3, winning three of its four contests at the Bobcat Classic and splitting the four games at the Valdosta State Tournament.

The women’s soccer team’s next home game will be its first conference contest, on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m. against Clayton State. The women’s volleyball team’s next home game will be its first conference contest, with a Friday night 6 p.m. match-up against Lander on Sept. 26.