LUBBOCK — If the Lubbock Christian volleyball program didn’t know it had a steal when Elissa Loynes signed with the school after her 2006 season at Clear Creek, it does now.
Loynes was named the Most Valuable Player of the Sooner Athletic Conference in her junior season with the Lady Chaps, leading them back to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics tournament.
Along with earning the conference MVP award, she also was named the Hitter of the Year and placed on first-team All-SAC.
Those honors didn’t come as a surprise after she was named the conference’s hitter of the week six times during the season.
“I feel like anyone on the team could have gotten those same awards,” Loynes said. “Having experience has helped me this year, but I also have really good teammates. Our setter is only a sophomore, but she is really good and gets all of us involved.”
Loynes was a star at Clear Creek, making the all-district team as a sophomore, junior and senior. She was the Lady Wildcats’ captain her senior season and finished first-team all-district that year.
“When I was at Clear Creek, we played against a lot of tough competition which helped me when I got here,” Loynes said. “A lot of the girls that come to here are from smaller schools, so they aren’t used to that type of competition. But at Creek, we were pushed all through district and then the playoffs.”
Loynes burst onto the scene as a sophomore last year for Lubbock Christian, leading the team in kills (454) and blocks (113). She became the third Lady Chap to be selected to the NAIA National Championship All-Tournament team, after posting 70 kills and a .369 kill percentage, second best in the tournament.
She also was named the SAC co-Hitter of the Year and first team All-Conference as a sophomore, as well as being selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region team.
This year has been just as good for Loynes. She finished the regular season with a team-high 424.5 points, including 366 kills, 75 digs and 75 blocks. Her hitting percentage of .382 percent was 12th best in the nation this year.
Of course, Loynes said more important than any individual award or accomplishment is the team’s success. Last year, Loynes helped Lubbock Christian advance to the Elite Eight at the national championships.
The Lady Chaps are again in the national tournament, which begins Tuesday in Iowa.
“Right now we are focused to get out of pool play,” Loynes said. “We are trying not to think about what we accomplished last year, because we are playing totally different teams. But going to Iowa is definitely the most fun part of the season.”
Flashing dominance at the NAIA level the past two seasons, Loynes said it has crossed her mind in the past to perhaps transfer to a larger school and conference. However, she decided against it because of the fun she was having at Lubbock.
“For education, I am happy where I am at,” Loynes said. “I wouldn’t want to go somewhere else with one season to go and have to start all over again.
“Our team is awesome, too, and that’s the reason I went here. They were welcoming when I came to visit, and we have really good chemistry. The girls are fun at practice, and we are all friends off the court.”
Loynes is majoring in business marketing and is on pace to graduate a semester early. She’s hoping to get a sports internship of some kind this summer.
Loynes said playing collegiate volleyball will help her accomplish her ultimate goals off the court.
“This has been such a great experience,” Loynes said. “I’ve meet a lot of new people and built some strong relationships playing volleyball. I think leadership wise it has helped me, too.”
And adding a national championship trophy to the Lubbock Christian volleyball display would also be a nice way to wrap up her college career. Could it happen this year for Loynes and the Lady Chaps?
“I think if we are playing our best, no team will sweep us off the floor,” Loynes said. “If we did make it, we’d probably have to play a three-time championship. But on any day, any team can take the court and win.”
