DENVER – It's a different season with a few different players, but the overall goal hasn't changed for the MSU Denver volleyball program.
 
Ranked fourth in the AVCA Division II national preseason poll, the Roadrunners are seeking to break through on the biggest stage.
 
"The mission of our program is to win a national championship," MSU Denver coach Jenny Glenn said. "It's not national championship or bust, but we also understand that we don't have a shot at it if we don't set our sights on it. The preseason has been about building belief in that, and now we turn if off because that's our mission way out in the distance. Right now our focus is on (Cal State) San Marcos, and that's all we care about.
 
"I do think this team believes that we have the ability to do a lot, but there's also a lot of tough opponents in our path. So we respect that, and we're going to try to build throughout the season."
 
MSU Denver, which spent five weeks ranked No. 1 nationally last season and was five points away from qualifying for the national quarterfinals for the first time in the program's Division II history, opens its season Thursday at host Cal State San Marcos at 7 p.m. MDT. It's the first of four matches at the Cougar Classic tournament, which also includes Friday contests with Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) at 11 a.m. and Biola (Calif.) at 4 p.m., as well as a Saturday match at 11 a.m. against Concordia-Irvine (Calif.).
 
"It'll be a good test for us," Glenn said. "California has good volleyball, so we expect these teams to be solid. It'll be a good first weekend for us to work some things out and get some match experience."
 
Cal State San Marcos was 12-13 last season but is picked to finish fourth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association in 2022. Saginaw Valley State, coming off a 16-11 season, is picked seventh in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Biola received votes in the national preseason poll and is picked third in the Pacific West Conference after going 20-8 last year, while Concordia is picked fourth in the PacWest after going 20-7.
 
MSU Denver is the preseason choice to repeat as RMAC champions in 2022.
 
Based on preseason projections, Biola is the toughest of the teams the Roadrunners will play this weekend, and it will be MSU Denver's third match in 21 hours (and second of the day), while Biola will be playing for the first time when the teams meet.
 
But, considering what MSU Denver has to offer in 2022, the Roadrunners and Glenn are staying zen about the arrangement.
 
Not only are the Roadrunners led by All-America first team outside hitter Rylee Hladky (who also earned region and league player of the year honors), but many of the key players from last year's group that went 28-4 overall and 18-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season are also back.
 
"Rylee had a great year last year, and she has teammates beside her who can score just as much, so it doesn't have to be a one-person show," Glenn said. "That's the strength of our offense – it's well-distributed from pin to pin, and when we're in system we're pretty hard to defend."
 
Key departures include All-America second team right-side hitter Avaline Lai and All-RMAC first team outside hitter Alexis Benda, but transfers such as All-America honorable mention right-side hitter Kelsey Gordon – who played in the national championship match last year for Washburn (Kan.) – and outside hitter Maddie Lindsay (a former Freshman of the Year in the Division I America East Conference) helps soften the losses.
 
Another starter to replace is two-time All-RMAC honorable mention setter Jessa Megenhardt. In the Roadrunners' 6-2 system, two setters play equally. Stepping into the new starting spot alongside Amela Qershia (who was also All-RMAC honorable mention) is Delaney Eckhardt, who has some experience in big moments the past two seasons despite not playing regularly.
 
"One of the challenges in a 6-2 is to find the same rhythm with each setter," Glenn said. "But I've been really impressed with how Delaney has stepped into that role. She's playing like a veteran. Both setters have done a really good job of taking new pieces of our offense and running with it."
 
As with most positions, the Roadrunners have an embarrassment of riches at middle blocker, with Ember Canty (All-RMAC first team in 2021, second team in 2020), Mikayla McClinton (All-RMAC honorable mention in 2021, second team in 2020) and up-and-coming Maddy Williams. Only two will start.
 
"They're making my job really difficult right now, because they are all playing really well," Glenn said.
 
More good news for Roadrunners fans is that outside hitter Riley Anderson – who starred early and late last season as a true freshman – and right-side Kaylee Corsentino – another nearly full-time player last year – have come back even better.
 
"Riley has grown a lot, especially since the spring with her composure, her shots and her determination," Glenn said. "She had success as a freshman, and she's even better than she was, and is working hard to improve all areas of her game.
 
"And Kaylee is playing really well – super dynamic. She's grown so much in all aspects of her game and is doing a really nice job for us."
 
Providing steady defense for the Roadrunners is All-RMAC second team libero Ashlyn Cianciulli, while sophomore Abbie McCrimmon is a candidate for the back-row role filled so well by the departed Caiden Rexius.
 
And it doesn't end there.
 
Serving specialist Trinity Weidinger and sophomore Brier Ziemer also add quality back-row depth, right-side Haley White starred when needed in the RMAC Tournament last season, and true freshman Skyler Michael offers tremendous potential on the right side.
 
"We have a lot of depth at multiple positions," Glenn said. "You could see different starting lineups from us throughout the course of the year. We can make changes based on matchups or anything else that is going on. We have different styles of attacking within each position, which makes us harder to defend."
 
The season is long and a potential 22^nd straight national tournament appearance is among the team goals. But duplicating last year, which included a 24-match winning streak, will be difficult. Still there's potential to go further than last season if everything comes together, even if there are more hiccups along the way.
 
"Every team's path is different," Glenn said. "It doesn't have to look like any other year. This team's story will be its own. It would be boring if every season was the same. No matter what happens along the way, if we can continue to position ourselves for our long-term goals, it doesn't matter what has happened up to that point."
 
It all starts Thursday, and the team is ready.
 
"It's been a really good preseason," Glenn said. "The girls came back ready to roll and really motivated from day one, and we've played at a pretty high level right out of the chute. I'm pleased with how we came back. The goals for this team are pretty high, as usual, and we're looking forward to testing ourselves against some outside competition."