ALLIANCE, Ohio- The Purple Raiders are working hard to get back on top of the Ohio Athletic Conference in the 2016 season, believing in the motto "nothing given, everything earned". 

Second-year head coach Melissa Mahnke brings back 11 letterwinners and five starters, including two All-OAC selections Brooke Knollman and Kyleigh Jackson. 

Junior Brooke Knollman was named to the All-OAC second team while sophomore Kyleigh Jackson was tabbed as honorable mention.

Knollman started in all 28 matches and played every set last season. She led the team with 257 kills and was third in blocks with 53.

Jackson played in all 28 matches and 93 total sets in her first season as a Raider. She was first on the team in blocks with 103, and tallied 139 kills on the season.

The other nine returning letterwinners include: seniors Caitlyn Synek and Kelly Johnson; juniors Riley Schenk, Morgan Chapman, Mallory Sliman, Elise Nickoli, and Celia Barrett; and sophomores Sabrina Ochoa and Allison Baird. Baird led the team in digs with 469 while Schenk led the Raiders in assists with 611.

These returners and letterwinners, along with a talented freshman class, hope to help the Raiders improve in the Ohio Athletic Conference standings and advance to the conference tournament this season.

The Raiders begin their season hosting the Mount Union Invitational Sept. 2-3. They will compete against three non-conference teams, including Grove City (Pa.), Geneseo St. (N.Y.) and No. 2 Wittenberg.