A new season brings plenty of change for the Taylorville volleyball program, but one thing remains clear: the Tornadoes are ready to compete.
With nine seniors on the roster and a group of players stepping into larger varsity roles, Taylorville enters the 2026 season with a mix of experience, energy and plenty of motivation.
Senior Nora Thomas believes the team’s biggest strength could be the energy it brings to the court.
“I feel like it’s going to be a great season, and everybody’s energy is so high,” Thomas said.
As one of the team’s seniors, Thomas knows her role goes beyond what she does on the court. She has embraced being a leader for younger players, especially when practices get difficult.
Thomas said one of her biggest responsibilities is building confidence and reminding younger players that they belong.
“When everybody’s conditioning and everybody’s tired, you just got to keep motivating them,” she said.
That leadership will be important for a Taylorville team that graduated a large group of players from a year ago.
Head coach Kim Peabody said the Tornadoes have plenty of potential, but much of the team is still gaining valuable varsity experience.
“We are a little shorter than previous years, but they make up for that with their hustle,” Peabody said. “We’re a little inexperienced, but again, they make up for that with all their hustle and their drive and their hard work.”
That hustle has been a major focus during preseason practices. Taylorville has spent time working on serve receive, passing, hitting, blocking and defense while trying to build consistency through repetitions.
Thomas emphasized the importance of serve receive, noting that a strong attack starts with a quality first pass.
Senior Molly Smith also believes the Tornadoes have the talent to make an impact this season.
“We’ve got a great front row lined up. We’ve got a great defense lined up,” Smith said. “We had a lot of seniors graduate, but honestly, we’re filling the spots with just as much talent.”
For Smith, the biggest key will be learning how all the pieces fit together.
Volleyball is a sport built on communication and chemistry, and the Tornadoes have already taken steps toward building that bond. The team traveled to Wisconsin during the summer, spending four days together and creating an opportunity for the players to become closer away from the court.
Smith believes that experience will help the team once the season begins.
“Just getting to know one another really helps,” she said.
Senior Mckynlee Simpelkamp echoed that confidence, saying the group has been playing together for a long time and believes that familiarity can translate into success.
“I think we’re going to have a good season,” Simpelkamp said. “We all play good together, and it’s been so long. So I’m excited.”
Simpelkamp, who plays defensive specialist, has also been focusing on positioning and defensive responsibilities during practice.
Her message to younger teammates is simple: stay confident, learn from mistakes and keep moving forward.
“Everyone makes mistakes,” Simpelkamp said. “Just keep moving on and learning to be a better player and a good teammate.”
The Tornadoes will be led by a coaching staff with plenty of Taylorville volleyball experience. Peabody is joined by Matt Peabody, Courtney Coy, Mazie Fleming and Emelyn Mateer.
Coy is a former Taylorville player who was part of the first Tornadoes class to win a sectional championship in 2016. Fleming and Mateer also bring their own experience as former players, giving the current roster several familiar faces who understand what it means to wear the Taylorville uniform.
For Peabody, the goal is to make the most of every opportunity while continuing to develop the team.
“There is not going to be an easy win for us on our schedule,” Peabody said. “We just have to take it one game at a time. We can’t overlook anyone, and every night it’s going to be a battle.”
The Tornadoes will also have plenty of opportunities to play in front of their home crowd, with 10 home matches scheduled for the season.
Taylorville’s passionate fan base, including Purple Reign, the student body and sports boosters, has become an important part of the atmosphere at Dolph Gym.
“We hope we have a good, loud crowd,” Peabody said.
For the seniors, the season carries an added sense of urgency.
Thomas hopes to help Taylorville capture a conference championship outright after sharing the title with Mahomet last season. Simpelkamp is focused on putting together a strong winning record and seeing how far the team can go.
And while the Tornadoes know there will be challenges, the message throughout the program remains consistent: work hard, stay together and enjoy the journey.
With a talented group of seniors, new varsity contributors and a coaching staff filled with experience, Taylorville is ready to see what this new chapter can bring.
The season opens with a challenging matchup against Rochester, giving the Tornadoes an early opportunity to test themselves.
For a team built on hustle, confidence and chemistry, Taylorville is ready for the challenge.
