It has been a long road back to competitive volleyball in Knoxville. Five years ago, the Panthers won just four matches in 40 attempts. Since then Knoxville has improved its win total every year to 27 this season and four straight South Central Conference championships. Coach Mollie Keitges tells KRLS Sports the six seniors that were a major part of the program this season were a vital part of the rebuild the last four seasons.

Keitges:
“They’re the ones that have laid the foundations and have expectations. The expectation is to win the conference, we own the conference every year, and now the new expectation is we get to the regional final and with the girls coming up I think we can win that now.”

The Panthers got to the class 3A regional final last week, falling to #9 Red Oak. Keitges adds the girls in the middle school programs that are coming up plus her returning players now have an expectation to keep the program winning every year.