Former Greenwood standout Melia Gorrell starts as Wheeling’s defensive specialist.
Submitted photo
The Wheeling Jesuit University campus is a 10-minute drive from the Pennsylvania state line, a geographical reality that comes in handy this time of year.
In the eyes of Melia Gorrell, the more bus rides into the Keystone State, the better.
A sophomore, Gorrell is the starting libero for the Cardinals’ volleyball team, which opens NCAA Division II postseason play this afternoon in the Atlantic Regional tournament at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Should Wheeling (25-7), a school of approximately 1,300 students situated in the narrow northern arm of West Virginia, wind up winning the eight-team event, it will compete at the NCAA national tournament at Robert Morris University in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.
“Last year, we got knocked out in the second round (at regional), but I feel like it was a good learning experience being able to play on the big stage,” said Greenwood graduate Gorrell, referring to the 2022 squad’s 27-8 finish.
“Our goal is to win the regional, and then we would go on to the Elite Eight.”
Wheeling is accustomed to both regular-season and tournament success in Christy Benner’s 22 seasons as head coach, winning seven Atlantic Regional championships, a pair of Final Fours and the 2015 national championship.
The Cardinals (25-7), the region’s No. 2 seed, are a staggering 697-154 under Benner entering today’s 2:30 p.m. first-round match against seventh-seeded Shaw University (30-5). Wheeling isn’t lacking momentum or confidence, either, winning 17 of its last 18 matches played since Oct. 3. The lone loss in that stretch came in five sets at Notre Dame College (Ohio), 25-22, 25-17, 20-25, 17-25, 15-10.
The Cardinals won the Mountain East Conference championship with a record of 12-2. Wheeling has captured the MEC title all 11 seasons since the league was formed.
Gorrell, who appeared in 28 of the team’s matches as a freshman, is second on this year’s team in assists (56) and service aces (13) and ranks third in digs (312). That last category includes her tying her career-best with 22 digs in the Cardinals’ most-recent outing, a four-set victory over West Virginia State.
The sophomore likes this team’s chances of taking the extra step.
“I think we have a lot more chemistry on the team than we did last season,” Gorrell said. “And we’re a pretty experienced group on the court. Last year drove us to do better this year.
“Our setter (senior Karly Nieson) is really good, but we’re also very good about balancing each other out. We aren’t too dependent on any one area of our game.”
Benner, who is among the career wins leaders in Division II volleyball, oversees a 22-player roster comprised mostly of former Ohio high school standouts. However, the coach knows these last two seasons wouldn’t have included the success they have without the Cardinals’ lone Hoosier.
“The libero is a very important role on our team. We have a lot of young defensive players trying to get that spot,” Benner said. “But Melia’s volleyball IQ is very good, she’s good at talking on the court and just doesn’t make a lot of mistakes on the court.
“I’ve definitely seen a lot of growth in her personality and character the last two years.”
