The UC Merced women's volleyball team will begin its inaugural season as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics on Friday at the Warrior Classic at William Jessup University.

Coach Allen McCreary said the Golden Bobcats are not surprisingly a young and inexperienced squad, but they are improving and will continue to grow as they lay the foundation for the future of UC Merced volleyball.

"The majority of our players have not played at a high level, and the speed of the game will be a challenge," McCreary said. "But the team continues to improve daily and is getting stronger. By the end of the year, they will be physically and mentally tougher and will have played together."

There's reason for optimism, starting with freshman captain Valeria Martinez, a 5-foot-10, all-state player from Madera South High School. Martinez, UC Merced's first sports recruit to sign with the school, leads a group of six freshmen expected to push the Golden Bobcats in their inaugural season.

"Valeria is special," McCreary said. "She's a high-caliber player who is used to high-level competition and always wants the ball in pressure situations. Honestly, she has been even better than expected, adding leadership and versatility."

Other freshmen to watch include Kristen Chin, an outside hitter from San Francisco; libero Raquel Casto, from Stockton; and Kumari Iboko, a 6-footer from Los Angeles.

UC Merced will also benefit from a number of returning players from last year's club team. Leading that group is 5-foot-10 outside hitter Brigitte Mayes, a junior from Santa Clarita.

"Brigitte has the drive and ability to push our team to the next level," McCreary said.

Joining Mayes will be returning setter Caroline Mack, a sophomore from Los Angeles, and Chrystal Daniel, a 5-foot-10 middle hitter from Inglewood. Both Mayes and Daniel, along with co-captain Rachel De Vera of San Jose will be called upon to add stability to the young team.

McCreary said the Golden Bobcats, whose roster includes three seniors, two juniors, three sophomores and six freshmen, have been working hard on fundamentals like serving and receiving but needs to develop more than just technical skills.

"We need to continue to develop a fierce competitive spirit," McCreary said. "When you put on the blue and gold, you get after it."

UC Merced's schedule in the Warrior Classic begins Friday at 2 p.m. with a match against Arizona Christian, followed by a 7 p.m. match against California Pacific Conference foe and tournament host William Jessup. On Saturday, the Golden Bobcats take on San Diego Christian at 11:30 a.m. and another conference foe, Menlo College, at 4:30 p.m.