By Jack Hart
The Warrensburg-Latham Cardinals are entering the 2026 volleyball season with a new-look roster, plenty of youthful energy and high expectations for what could be a special year.
With a mix of experienced players and younger athletes stepping into new roles, head coach Gillian Welker believes the Cardinals have built a strong foundation heading into the season.
One of the biggest strengths of this year’s team is the chemistry already developing within the roster.
Senior setter Audrey Billingsley said the team has quickly developed a strong bond, dating back to the summer.
“I love the bond we’ve already created,” Billingsley said. “Freshmen, seniors, we all just get along so well, and it’s just awesome to play volleyball together.”
That team-first mentality could be especially important for Warrensburg-Latham, which has five seniors leading the way this season.
Billingsley believes the senior class can make a major impact through its experience and leadership.
“Last year we had three seniors, so I think five seniors can really make an impact on our team,” Billingsley said. “I think we all have been experienced, and I think that can really help as a team.”
Billingsley will also play an important role as the Cardinals’ setter. She credits Welker with helping her develop a better understanding of her teammates and what each hitter needs from her.
“As a setter, I really need to learn how to learn the sets for each of the hitters,” Billingsley said. “Coach Welker gives me feedback at every chance she can.”
For Billingsley, one of her personal goals for her final season is to increase her assist numbers after putting together a strong season last year.
“I really want to get my assist number up,” she said. “I worked on it last year, and I had a good number last year, but I want to get it up this year for sure.”
Senior Brettlyn Hickey is another key veteran for the Cardinals and has already seen the importance of helping younger players adjust to the varsity level.
Hickey described this year’s roster as a mixture of experienced players and newcomers, with several athletes taking on varsity roles for the first time.
Her advice to the younger players is simple: don’t let one mistake define the next opportunity.
“Just don’t get down on yourself,” Hickey said. “If you have one bad game, that’s not going to determine your next game.”
As the Cardinals prepare for the season opener, Hickey said one of the team’s biggest focuses in practice has been serve receive and making sure the younger players understand the system.
The Cardinals also have plenty of competitive matchups to look forward to in the CIC Conference. For Hickey, one matchup stands out above the rest: Maroa-Forsyth.
“It’s always a tough battle,” Hickey said, noting the rivalry has often featured one team winning the regular-season matchup and the other responding in the regional tournament.
Welker said the younger players moving up to varsity have provided an exciting challenge and an opportunity to see how the roster will come together.
“We have a lot of young girls, especially moving up to varsity, and so that’s been really refreshing,” Welker said.
The Cardinals will lean on returning players such as Billingsley and Hickey, while also counting on other experienced players to help guide the younger members of the roster.
Welker also pointed to Shelbyville as a major conference matchup to watch.
“Shelbyville is always our big one,” Welker said. “We go kind of back and forth in winning conference and then the conference tournament.”
After six years at Warrensburg-Latham, Welker has learned the importance of finding balance between coaching and life away from the court. That perspective has helped her return to the gym with a stronger focus on the team.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals have their sights set on competing for a conference championship and making a postseason run.
“I think our goal is to win conference,” Welker said. “And then I would say a postseason run would be really good.”
For the Cardinals, success this fall will start with the culture they have already established. Billingsley described Warrensburg-Latham as enthusiastic and friendly, emphasizing how much the players enjoy being around one another.
Now, the team hopes that same energy will extend into the stands.
Both Billingsley, Hickey and Welker emphasized the importance of community support this season.
“I would love to see our stands packed,” Welker said. “We have a great group of girls. They are great students, great athletes, great people. They deserve that support.”
With experienced seniors leading the way, younger players stepping into new roles and a coaching staff focused on continued improvement, Warrensburg-Latham enters the 2026 season with plenty of optimism.
The Cardinals are ready to take the court, compete in the conference and see just how far this new-look team can go.
