The Wellman-Union Lady Cats Volleyball Team is already looking great after a solid road win for their first game of the season knocking off 2A Abernathy in a three-set sweep, however, they have dropped five in a row against 4A Andrews, 4A Graham, 3A Idalou, 3A Tulia, and 4A LBK Estacado. Don’t let those five losses trick you into thinking the Lady Cats aren’t real. Between all five losses, the schools are 10 times larger on average than Wellman-Union. The Lady Cats got back into the win column over Tahoka Tuesday night. Coach Jai Madrid is not afraid to take on the big teams.
Like their friends at Brownfield, the Lady Cats got a new coach this season, Coach Jai Madrid who was hired on as head volleyball coach in May, and has hit the ground running. Madrid led the Plains Cowgirls to three straight playoff appearances in Class 2A, and in 2021 led them to the Region I-1A Finals before falling to Wink. According to Coach Madrid, this season’s team is all about growth and commitment, and their motto for the season is “All In”. Madrid said, “Because we are putting in the hard work in everything we do. We have a sophomore and junior-heavy team that are eager to help lead the team and build a strong culture.”
The Lady Cats lost two seniors, 2023 MVP Defensive Player of the Year- Hailey Boshears, and 1st Team All District-Tina Friesen. As Madrid said, the team has a sophomore and junior-heavy team and they bring back five All-District players Alyssa Cavazos (SR), Mariah Cochran (JR), Azayla Mercado (JR), Jerzee Harlan (SO), and Mattie Seymore (SO).
Madrid went on to say, “I’m excited and eager to lead a strong team of coachable athletes. The parents, athletes, and administration have been incredibly supportive and anxious to watch the team grow and be successful. The parents have rallied together to decorate the locker rooms and provide the team with fun opportunities for team bonding.”
The Lady Cats will continue to play two familiar foes in district: Klondike and Loop. Grady added volleyball to their athletic program and was placed with Wellman-Union, Klondike, and Loop for district action. Klondike has become a regional powerhouse marking nine straight post-season appearances with six Region I-1A Tournaments and one state tourney. Needless to say, the Lady Cats will have their work cut out when playing the Lady Cougars. They’ll take on each other twice, and both games will most likely have a “playoff” feel and the district champion will come from one of these two teams.
According to Madrid, she believes the team’s weakness is also a strength, saying “in the grand scheme of things…because we have a young team. We are young, but we have so much time to build a strong program. The effort these girls have shown me, during the summer and these first couple of weeks, pales in comparison to anything I have ever witnessed. They have grit and they show up every day, with the same level of determination. They are INTENTIONAL in everything they do. Every drill…. Every minute detail, they pour their heart into their effort. I am positive that they will be successful this season. The progress they have made in such a short amount of time is so profound.”
2024 WELLMAN-UNION LADY CAT VOLLEYBALL ROSTER
| NO. | PLAYER | CLASS |
| 1 | Aliyah Depoyster | JR |
| 2 | Azayla Mercado | JR |
| 5 | Ellen Cadena | SR |
| 7 | Zoye Wise | JR |
| 8 | Mattie Seymore | SO |
| 12 | Mariah Cochran | JR |
| 13 | Alyssa Cavazos | SR |
| 18 | Micaela Escobar | SO |
| 20 | Jerzee Harlan | SO |
