Regina Mannix, the longtime head coach of SCC’s Fighting Artichokes volleyball team, is looking forward to the challenge of getting her team to contend for a national championship this year.

The volleyball team is 9-3 (5-2 in conference play) entering the Oct. 8 matchup with Mesa Community College. Mannix’s team is currently third in the ACCAC (Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) standings.

This follows a 2020 season that was cancelled last fall due to the ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re all grateful that we’re in this position again,” Mannix said. “(The players) have all come off high school and club programs that didn’t ever halt because of the pandemic.”

With several players shelved due to COVID-19, many new faces have since arrived and have had to step up.

“We did a lot of Zoom calls, and we did a lot of phone calls,” Mannix said regarding preparations for play during the pandemic. “We read a book together called “The Mind Gym,” (and held) Zoom workouts as far as fitness goes.

“We take (the safety protocols in place) very seriously,” Mannix continued. “So it was in the best interest of everybody’s health and safety that we postpone those matches.”

Mannix is overseeing a team that has started well and is only gaining strength and experience after starting from scratch with new players.

“Our student athletes are just really excited to be back on campus,” Mannix said. “And they’re excited to be able to start building their future for transfer to a university.”