Pacelli continues dominance with another conference title

By Jacob Heid
Sports Editor
STEVENS POINT — Since the start of the Central Wisconsin Conference-South in 2017, the Pacelli volleyball team has either won or tied for the conference title every season.
In 2023, the Cardinals had its sixth season (of seven) with a 6-0 record in the CWC-South, finishing with an overall record of 25-9.
The Cardinals had an experienced roster, with only a handful of underclassmen on the team.
With grinding out 25 wins in 2023, the team showed vast improvement from a season ago with closing out wins.
Despite a disappointing regional final loss at Athens, there were things that Head Coach Roy Danforth and the coaching staff saw throughout the season that led to proud moments.
Danforth mentioned before the season that the team’s success will come from how the team gels.
That chemistry was there all season long and contributed to claiming another conference title.
“Just the communication,” Danforth mentioned as something that contributed to the play on the floor. “We had great leadership from upperclassmen.”
Like last season, there was another fight for the title.
A week of matches on Sept. 19 and 21 vs. Tri-County and Pittsville gave the two teams their first and second losses of the conference season and was the difference in Pacelli’s road to another conference title.
“Beating Tri-County in three sets and then winning the conference,” was the team’s favorite moment of the season, Danforth said.
The Cardinals look to get their eighth consecutive CWC-South title in 2024.