"Arcadia is going to be good, and we saw Pasadena in the summer and they have a very good player," Real said. "One of our goals is definitely to make it to the playoffs."
In the eight-team league, four will qualify for the postseason.
Helping Burroughs in that cause is a fine crop of returners. Junior middle blocker Karissa Lagmay, junior setter Jamie Loprecho, junior outside hitter Tatiana Sao and junior opposite-hitter Kayla Gurley will be called upon to carry the team.
The lone senior is setter Sarah DeLeon.
Real is predicting freshman libero Traci Hamanaka as the next rising star in the program.
"[Hamanaka] plays club volleyball and she's a talented athlete," Real said. "She can step up and really play."
Another freshman who could also see her share of playing time is outside hitter Jessica Diaz.
BELLARMINE-JEFFERSON
Segura doesn't have to be convinced that his team has what it takes to put together a winning season. Any thing would be an improvement from a year ago when the Guards went 0-17.
"We have some girls who can flat-out play," Segura said. "There's no doubt that we have the talent, it's just a matter of playing together and playing like I know we can."
Segura admits qualifying for the playoffs is a big goal. However, he is expecting the Guards to battle for their first league championship since 1996, when they won their fourth straight title.
"This is a season we feel we can do some of those things," Segura said. "But we have to put it all together."
Leading that quest is returning junior outside hitter Jessica Alvarez, who Segura says "Could play on any other team out there."
Also returning is junior middle blocker Ashleigh Diller, senior setter Nicole Diller and senior outside hitter Michelle Alvarez.
