With the start of a new semester, Eastern athletics is gearing up for another fall season and improve from the end of a disappointing 2010.

Kate Price, second year head coach, continues in a new direction she started last year. She took over in January of 2010 after serving as assistant coach under predecessor Alan Segal.

Albers said that the team is ready to face their upcoming season, which starts this weekend in Terre Haute, Ind.

“We are really going to miss our seniors and all that they brought to the team,” Albers said. “Now we just have to take what we gained from (last) season and build off of it.”

Sophomore outside hitter Reynae Hutchinson shared the sentiment at the end of last season, saying she was excited to go forward into 2011.

“I think (last) season was a step in the right direction,” Hutchinson said. “Both coaches (Price and assistant Ryan Sweitzer) are great and are going to take us far. I am extremely thankful to have played with (last year’s seniors), they did a great job of setting the bar and next season will be the same.”

The Panthers finished last season with a pair of conference losses on the road to drop out of contention for a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference. The team will have four returning starters, having lost five seniors at the end of last year. This season’s only two seniors, setter Chrissie Albers and libero Brittany Wallace, look to make their return.

The Panthers were upset their 2010 season ended with a 15-16 overall record, but Wallace said the team still had great improvement from its 2009 campaign, which saw the team win only four conference matches.

“It may not be the ending we had worked for and had wanted,” Wallace said after last season. “Every single one of us wanted more than anything to be playing in the post season, (but) at the same time, we did some great things this season, and it’s clear now that our program is heading in a new direction.”

Junior middle hitter Alison Berens said that she also felt the 2011 team showed a lot of promise.

“I think that we did improve (in 2010),” said Berens at the end of the 2010 season. “There is always room for improvement, and as we continue to practice together I think we will do just that.”

The Panthers will open their 2011 season against Miami (Ohio) University on Aug. 26.

Brad Kupiec can be reached at 581-7944 or bmkupiec@eiu.edu