The University of Cincinnati Clermont College Cougars varsity women’s volleyball team began regular-season play on Aug. 30. The Red and Black defeated visiting Southern State Community College 30-19, 30-19, 30-19 a very rare three-game matching score.
The Cougars are looking to build upon the success they achieved last year. The Red and Black finished fifth in the nation in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association’s (USCAA) final rankings. The Clermont countians also qualified for the first time for the USCAA National Championship Tournament. In addition to these achievements, the Cougars won their third consecutive Ohio Regional Campus Conference (ORCC) West Division championship.
“This year’s team should again be very competitive for a fourth ORCC crown and looks to return to Fort Wayne (Ind.) for the national tournament,” said Clermont’s head coach Joe Harpring.
For Harpring this will be his fifth season at the helm of the women’s volleyball program at UC Clermont. He first became a member of the coaching staff as a varsity assistant in 2001. His teams have earned a 43-18 record over the past four seasons. Before coaching at Clermont, he was a Junior Olympic volleyball coach for 14 years and has a Level II certification from the United States Volleyball Coaching Accredation Program. He is a member of the UC Clermont Athletic Hall of Fame.