By Jim Richards

A year ago, Mooney took over a SMCC program that had won just three total games the previous year and managed to get 12 wins out of a club made up of all freshmen in 2006, all gathered within limited recruiting time after his hiring.

This season, through only 11 games, Mooney has the Cougars at 7-4 and of the hopes of reaching the ACCAC playoffs.

“We won more matches than the previous four years combined so we’re happy about that,” Mooney said.

The Cougars have the experience to make it an interesting ride this season. They’ll return five starters off last year’s with two other sophomores transferring in from other schools. Mooney is also elated with his recruiting class of this past off-season.

Through the early going, sophomores Brittany Smith-Peterson and Katie Collins have posted impressive numbers. Smith-Peterson, an outside hitter, is currently tied for second in the ACCA with an average of 4.38 kills-per-game. Collins, the team’s setter, is third in the conference in assist (10.59 per game).

Freshman libero Janel Crane is third in the conference with an average of 5.25 digs per game.

“It’s been a total team effort so far,” Mooney said.

This weekend, the Cougars will travel to a tournament at Eastern Arizona before returning home for Tuesday’s non-conference clash with Iowa Western, currently the No.1-ranked team at the NJCAA Division I level.

The Cougars, who compete at Division II, are hoping to make strides during a year that appears to possess more parity than in recent years. For instance, perennial power Scottsdale has dropped to 0-4 and defending national runner-up Chandler-Gilbert is also in something of a rebuilding mode with a lot of young players.

“I think it’s wide open,” Mooney said. “I think it’ s a little bit more balanced this year.

“Our goal is to make it to the region playoffs, win that and go to national.”