s
s
Stephanie Williams
Issue date: 4/29/05 Section: Features
Success is something that all teams strive for, most coaches hope for and all players work for.
Unfortunately, for the past three seasons, wins have come few, far and in between for the ULM volleyball team in their fight to find success.
The team has won an average of four games per year since 2002 and has failed to make the conference tournament all three years. However, the talent and pieces are there for the team to become a contender in the conference.
On January 10, 2005, ULM director of athletics Bobby Staub put the final piece in place to help rebuild the Lady Indian volleyball team.
He hired the team's new head coach, Mark Pryor.
"Mark will bring great energy and enthusiasm to our volleyball program," Staub said. "He has a wide range of experience and has a great understanding of what needs to be done as we prepare to move into the Sun Belt conference in 2006."
Pryor came to ULM from Boise State, a member of the of the WAC conference, where he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Broncos.
At Boise State, Pryor was faced with a huge challenge as the team had only won one game in both 2001 and 2002. Pryor looked at the situation as the perfect opportunity to make a difference and help turn the program around.
He did just that.
In 2003, the Broncos improved to 6-24, but it would be in 2004 that the team would make the loudest noise in the conference. Boise State went 17-12 and had two All-WAC Conference honorees.
Pryor plans on bringing this success to a program similar to Boise State.
"More than anything else, I think that there's a possibility for this team to be good," Pryor said. "Will we win a national championship? No, but there is so much opportunity here for this program to be better than it has been."
Mark Pryor is no stranger to the ULM program. During the 1997-1998, he was hired as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Lady Indians.
With a chance to come back and help turn the program around, his players are working hand and hand with him to help the team become stronger.
Unfortunately, for the past three seasons, wins have come few, far and in between for the ULM volleyball team in their fight to find success.
The team has won an average of four games per year since 2002 and has failed to make the conference tournament all three years. However, the talent and pieces are there for the team to become a contender in the conference.
On January 10, 2005, ULM director of athletics Bobby Staub put the final piece in place to help rebuild the Lady Indian volleyball team.
He hired the team's new head coach, Mark Pryor.
"Mark will bring great energy and enthusiasm to our volleyball program," Staub said. "He has a wide range of experience and has a great understanding of what needs to be done as we prepare to move into the Sun Belt conference in 2006."
Pryor came to ULM from Boise State, a member of the of the WAC conference, where he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Broncos.
At Boise State, Pryor was faced with a huge challenge as the team had only won one game in both 2001 and 2002. Pryor looked at the situation as the perfect opportunity to make a difference and help turn the program around.
He did just that.
In 2003, the Broncos improved to 6-24, but it would be in 2004 that the team would make the loudest noise in the conference. Boise State went 17-12 and had two All-WAC Conference honorees.
Pryor plans on bringing this success to a program similar to Boise State.
"More than anything else, I think that there's a possibility for this team to be good," Pryor said. "Will we win a national championship? No, but there is so much opportunity here for this program to be better than it has been."
Mark Pryor is no stranger to the ULM program. During the 1997-1998, he was hired as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Lady Indians.
With a chance to come back and help turn the program around, his players are working hand and hand with him to help the team become stronger.