NMMI Sports Press
The New Mexico Military Institute Bronco volleyball team has unfinished business this season, and it begins Aug. 18 with the 14th annual NMMI Classic volleyball tournament.
“It’s always a great tournament,” said Bronco head coach Shelby Forchtner. “We’re never really ready, because we’ve all just met in the last couple weeks, but it really sets the tone for the work we need to put in for the season.”
The Broncos put in the work in 2021, rattling off 20-straight victories before falling in the national championship match 3-2. The national preseason poll has NMMI at No. 2, a fitting spot for last year’s runner up that returns eight players.
“We’ve never been ranked that high in the preseason poll before, so last night when I saw it, it kind of took my breath away a little bit,” Forchtner said. “I just hadn’t really thought about the polls. We were voted No. 1 in the conference preseason poll unanimously by our peers and even that was pretty shocking and I’m not really sure why. We did have such a good team last year, but in the JUCO world, everything can change quickly. You can be really, really good one year and then be completely non-relevant the next.”
Among the returning Broncos are All-American libero Mio Yamamoto, setter Megan Waghorn and outside hitter/middle Barbara Guedes Rezende.
“Mio’s one of the best players in the nation and one of the best defenders I’ve ever seen play. Having her back on the floor is big. She will control our defense and serve receive,” Forchtner said. “Barbara started at middle last year. She stayed here over the summer and trained with our strength coaches and worked in admissions. She will step into an offensive role this year. She’s one of our best swings in the gym right now.”
This year’s tourney brings seven competitive squads from the surrounding states. NMMI will play four matches; Eastern Arizona College at 7 p.m. on Aug. 18, Northeastern Junior College at 1 p.m. and Pima Community College at 7 p.m. on Aug. 19, and South Mountain Community College at 3 p.m. on Aug. 20.
“The Arizona schools have really committed to this tournament because it’s always good,” said Forchtner. “Tyler (Texas) is a great team every year, they are always top of their conference and going to nationals. Odessa has been super competitive since they started playing in our conference, they are always top 3.”
NJC, located in Sterling, CO, will bring a familiar face back to town, Sidney Bills, a former Goddard volleyball captain that also played club ball with Forchtner.
After the tourney, it doesn’t get any easier as the Broncos play nationally ranked teams, mostly on the road, but Forchtner knows that’s the only way to get ready for another run at nationals and to hopefully finish that business they started last year.