The Hutchinson volleyball team was chosen as the Visit Wichita Team of the Month for September. The Salthawks qualified for the 6A Tournament last season and return a significant number of players from that team.

They defeated Salina South on September 6 and September 13 this season.

“We are excited to have many experienced players coming back this year,” said Maria Aikins said. “We have been adjusting to hone specific roles to ensure the team’s success.”

Getting back to the state tournament is the top priority for Hutchinson, but Aikins knows there are numerous roadblocks that could prevent that from happening. 

“Our league is a tough, and every team wants to win,” Aikins said. “We just have to be the more disciplined group. This will be no easy task, as it takes everyone pulling on the same rope, and be willing to be selfless through it all in order to benefit from the challenges in our league.”

Two of the Salthawks’ top returners are Maliyah Johnson, who was the league MVP last season, and second team all-league selection, Mya Thompson. Both Johnson and Thompson were chosen to be co-captains this season and Aikins thinks their leadership will be important.

“We believe we have to be focused, and have established an end goal in mind: to make every game and practice a time to grow in all areas of the game,” Aikins said. “We work hard to simulate pressure situations in practice to enhance mental toughness.”