PITTSBURG, Pa. - Tomorrow the Chatham Women's Volleyball team will head to Greensburg for their first match of the 2026 season. 

The Cougars 2025 season ended after they fell in the first round of the PAC Championship Tournement. They finished last season with a 11-5 conference record and a 16-9 overall. 

They were predicted to finish fourth in the conference this year, but that high honor didn't come easy and they are ready to put in the work. "We want to be relentless in all that we do. We strive to be aggressive and out-work our opponents by keeping pressure on them from start to finish. If we can play crisp in serve / pass, and be ruthless on defense, we'll frustrate a lot of teams that we face." said Coach Joseph Bortak. 

He further emphasized that, "Every season is a new chance for us to re-identify ourselves. Our overall goals and mission remains the same, but how we get there might be different each year depending on schedule, talent in the gym, injuries etc. I'm pleased with where we are through 2 weeks of preseason. Now we need to keep stacking good days of work."

Bortak, entering his 9th season with the Cougars, said the standard for the team is very well known and encompasses more than just volleyball. "All of our student-athletes are held to the same high standards and expectations in the classroom and on the court. The upperclassmen have been living those expectations for a few years now so they can provide guidance, but all 26 players know what is expected of them. We've graduated some good leaders and all-conference athletes, but it's exciting to see others step into bigger roles and create more opportunities for themselves."

With the addition of 10 new players this season, it was important for the the Cougars' to form close bonds. Bortak said, "With so many new additions to the team, a big priority of ours coming into this season was to work on connections. Team building/bonding plays a role in almost every practice and skill session we do. We enjoy connecting with our student-athletes and learning more about their goals outside of volleyball, too."

The Cougars open their season this Wednesday, September 2nd at 7 PM when they hit the road to face off with the Pitt-Greensburg Bobcats.