HELEN L. MONTOYA | 210SA CONTRIBUTOR Volleyball coach Mark Lee and soccer coach Shane Hurley are the first sports coaches OLLU has had in about 22 years.

Considering Our Lady of the Lake University's fledgling women's volleyball and men's soccer programs are only in their first year of competitive play, it would make sense if the team's goals included getting through the season injury-free, improving as a unit and perhaps picking up a few victories along the way.

But those goals, outside hitter Jessica Ramirez said, would sell the first-year programs short.

“We're a new team, but our goal is to get to the playoffs,” Ramirez said. “Our goal is the playoffs, and then going to nationals. I think we can do it because we're a good, strong team. We're small in size, but big in heart.”

Lofty goals for a program that's only just beginning.

For the first time since folding its basketball program in 1985, OLLU is fielding an athletics program.

The volleyball and soccer programs, each of which began their first season in late August, will initially compete as independents in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics while making application to the NAIA's Red River Conference. That conference includes Texas-based programs like UT-Brownsville and Texas College in Tyler.

“The first question the students asked when I arrived was, ‘Will we have athletics?'.” OLLU President Tessa Martinez Pollack said at a recent pep rally celebrating the launch of both programs. “I said, ‘Sure, maybe not football, but definitely soccer, volleyball (and other sports)'.”

After both programs were announced in June 2006, the Saints — as the teams are called — set out to find coaches.

What they found was a pair of up-and-comers.

Mark Lee, the volleyball coach, came to OLLU after spending the previous five years as the head coach of the men's volleyball team at California's Santa Monica College. Meanwhile, soccer coach Shane Hurley — in addition to once coaching soccer at Clark High School — was previously a club soccer coach in the San Antonio area.

And while his players plan on making a run at the postseason, Lee is striving for success both on and off the field.

“As for our group of volleyball players, what we've asked them to do is give their best on the field and in the classroom,” Lee said. “Our season will be a success because of that.”

CLINT HALE | 210SA