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Blacksburg High School junior Jackie Greenberg gets low as the team works on controlling the ball off of digs.

Michael Shroyer | Special to The Roanoke Times

First-year coach Cassie Jones speaks to her team during practice in the Christiansburg High School gym. "I have been able to teach more details of the game," Jones says, crediting the work of her predecessor.

Tiffany Blassingame, senior captain for Christiansburg High School

Maggie Eddleton, captain and third-year player for Christiansburg

Blacksburg High School junior Lauren Cusimano hits a spike during team drills. It's Blacksburg that kept Christiansburg from making it to the regionals last year.

As high school volleyball season sets to begin Monday, one prominent question surrounds Christiansburg.

Can the Blue Demons continue the turnaround the program experienced under now departed coach Brian Smith?

Smith changed the program's direction by making sure the fundamentals of the game were taught, paving the way for the Demons to make their first ever regional appearance in 2009.

Christiansburg played well in 2010 but a strong district and a fourth place finish kept the Demons out of the regional playoffs despite their winning record.

New Christiansburg coach Cassie Jones is looking to build on the success that her predecessor started.

"I've been lucky as a head coach because he [Smith] was a great teacher of the fundamentals of the game," Jones said. "A lot of the times a new coach has to teach the fundamentals but these girls have that, so I have been able teach them more details of the game."

Said Senior co-captain Tiffany Blassingame: "We are more detail-oriented this season, so there is a lot more thinking and planning that is going into our game."

It's those details that will hopefully help the Demons push into the upper group of the River Ridge District where teams such as Cave Spring, Hidden Valley and Blacksburg have kept Christiansburg at bay.

"We have a tough district," said Maggie Eddleton, who is a junior co-captain. "Hopefully, we can help get the program a lot bigger to help future Christiansburg teams."

The future seems bright with record high turnouts for tryouts on the junior varsity and middle school levels.

Senior Kayley Lunsford, who will move to middle hitter this year, said Jones "knows what we are capable of and she is trying her hardest to work us to that level on a consistent basis."

To break through this season, the Demons must replace one of the best volleyball players in school history in Ashton Moran at setter. Junior Austyn DiIoia was the JV setter last season and will be asked to get the ball to hitters Blassingame, Eddleton and Lunsford.

Defensively, senior Jiyun Chang and junior Brooke Martin will share time at the libero spot in hopes of helping Christiansburg reach the region playoffs.

"Our goal is to get third or better," Jones said. "We need to aim high and do better than last season because the talent is there and they have some bounce to them."

Here is a look at the other teams in the New River Valley.

Blacksburg

The Bruins kept the Demons from making it two straight regional appearances last season, and second-year coach Scott Newton returns nine to his line-up this season.

Seniors hitters Abby Pennington and Maggie Howell will look to be set up by fellow seniors Jossalyn Hillyard at setter and Lydia Picknell at libero. Juniors Lindsay Cusimano and Jackie Greenberg should also be big point scorers for the Bruins.

"The athletes are there and they have talent," Newton said. "Basically we need to keep our leadership and poise this season and show that to other teams."

Pulaski County

New coach Mike Stoots takes over the varsity program after coaching the JV team last season and will inherit a team with just a pair of seniors on their 14-person roster.

"We have a lot of young talent with two senior leaders," Stoots said. "We have the talent, it is just a matter of getting them to play ball."

Seniors Jette Wade and Becky Pennington are featured as hitters, while juniors Miranda Montgomery, Morgan Isom, Alivia Alger and Alisha Romain provide depth.

Auburn

After losing in the state quarterfinals last season, the Eagles appear to have one of the top teams in the area and Three River District with seven juniors, including five returning players from last year's squad.

Auburn doesn't feature a senior on the squad, which will be lead by returners Jordan Watson, Olivia Cleary, Hannah Pardes, Laren Altizer and Kelly Akers. Freshman Madison Shumaker will also provide a presence with her athletic and jumping ability as the Eagles are making some style changes to take advantage of their talent and depth.

"In the early going, I have been playing around with different line-ups and positions, so not really been as consistent as I would like, but we'll get there," said coach Sherry Millirons.

Floyd County

In his second season with the Buffaloes, coach Jonathan Marye is hoping for a big jump in the standing for a team that won just a pair of games last season.

"We have so much potential but the biggest thing we need is confidence," Marye said. "I think we can go from two wins to at least second in the conference this year. That jump up is what we are looking for."

Seven returners give Marye the confidence in his team, led by seniors Katelyn Vaughn and Monica Morris at setter and hitter respectfully. During a recent camp, the team found how well junior Tamra Quesenberry can play at the libero spot after playing as an outside hitter. Ohio transfer Alexandra Wallace is tall and talented in the middle.

Giles

The Spartans are another team expecting to make a move in the district standings for second-year coach Whitney Matlock.

Six seniors return, including hitters Jessie Boggess, Maya Williams, Ciara Whitten and Margee Ragsdale. Sophomore Alex Hawks will also be a key hitter for Giles, who will be breaking in a pair of new setters in Maggie Boggess and Marinna Dowdy.

"This is hopefully the year we can go for it," Matlock said. "We have set high goals for ourselves and we want to be a contender and not overlooked."

Radford

The Bobcats will be looking to rebuild this season after losing most of a team that made back-to-back region appearances.

Three starters return in sophomore Alexis Finley at setter, with junior Katy Wheeler at right side hitter and senior libero Madie Shepherd. Sophomore Riley Harvey and junior Jordie Woods have played well in the early going as well.

"We are a young, learning team," said Bobcat coach Toni Wright-Franklin. "We need to develop into a varsity level. We do have a lot of talent and when we put it all together we'll be all right."

Eastern Montgomery

The Mustangs return three starters for new coach Sarah Morris, who has previous coaching experience in Richmond and Augusta, Ga.

"We haven't been used to winning, so we are trying to change that attitude this year," Morris said. "We may even surprise ourselves some this season."

Three starters return including 6-foot-2-inch senior Danielle Simpkins in the middle. Madonna Yoder will be in charge of getting the ball to Simpkins and fellow hitter and junior April Goad. Another pair of juniors in Holly Lambert and Casey Whitt will play key roles as well.

Narrows

The Green Wave have four seniors returning to the line-up this year, led by multisport athlete Savannah Burton for coach Sarah McGlothlin in hopes of being one of the top teams in the Mountain Empire District.

Dayspring

The Lions return just one starter from last year's team as coach Erin Card fields a team that has no seniors and just two juniors.

"We won the conference the last two years and finished second in the state last season, so we are rebuilding a little," Card said. "We need to figure out how to play and get some experience."

Sophomore Sara Albano is the lone returning player and will play both setter and outside hitter.