One year ago, Texas A&M-Kingsville coach Bo Atterberry stood before his LSC coaching peers just after learning his team was picked to finish fifth in the league and told his fellow coaches and media “a fifth-place finish just won’t work in Kingsville, Texas.”

   And it didn’t work for the team, as they not only tied for a share of the LSC lead and advanced to the playoffs, but were 64 yards away from advancing to the second round before a miracle field goal by Tarleton State tied the game and Kingsville eventually lost a heartbreaking 57-56 double-overtime home loss in the playoffs.

   So you might imagine the frustration Atterberry felt at this year’s LSC Football Media Day, finding out his team has been picked to finish fifth in the talented LSC South.

   “I think I said it last year, but this isn’t going to work in Kingsville,” Atterberry said. “I hope these people are wrong because if they’re not, I may not be here next year.”
 

   But as he enters his fourth season guiding the Javelinas, Atterberry has the luxury of having one of the LSC’s top offensive players in Fred Winborn, who led the league in rushing in 2009 with 1,295 yards and LSC-best 17 touchdowns. Winborn also had a 6.6 yard average en route to being named All-LSC first-team selection.

   The most dynamic of the backs might be Cornell Davis, a big-play threat who averaged 8.1 yards per attempt and rushed for 491 yards behind Winborn last year.

   Kingsville is loaded at receiver, led by two-time All-LSC pick Ryan Lincoln, who has 145 career catches and needs just 33 to become the school’s all-time leading receiver. Sophomore Sherman Batiste had 35 catches for 471 yards last season. The Javelinas are also hoping for big things from Arizona transfer Delashaun Dean, a senior transfer who left the Wildcats as the school’s eight-leading receiver all-time with 132 catches.

   Three starters return on the line, including center Tim Byerly and guard Colby Lowrie, along with senior tackle Trent Perkins.

   The biggest area of concern on offense is at quarterback, where the Javelinas lost record-setter Billy Garza to graduation. That leaves the door open for a pair of juniors in Nate Poppell and Daniel Ramirez.

   Defensively, Kingsville is hoping to replace defensive tackle Jimmy Saddler-McQueen, who is currently in the Dallas Cowboys training camp. It appears Johnny Tiavo will be the guy to not only fill those shoes, but stuff the run as well. Ends Matt Romig (six sacks and 11 tackles for loss) and Mike Talamantez should add some depth.

   Kingsville must replace their linebackers from last year and Marcus Sanders and Aaron Buckley should fill in quickly. However, the secondary returns four starters, led by All-LSC second-team safeties Delra Glover and Corey Robertson. At cornerback, Derrick Thomas and Madrick Johnson are both back but should have some competition from transfers Quincy Williams (Emporia State) and Kendrick Matthews (Kansas State).

 

   The Javelinas made big strides in 2009, improving the win total by six games from the previous season. Fourth-year head coach Shannon Alvarado led Kingsville to a 17-13 mark last year, including a 6-7 conference record and a return trip to the LSC Championship tournament.

   This year, the Javelinas will count on senior outside hitter Sha Tramble, a two-time All-LSC second-team performer. Last season, Tramble averaged 2.64 kills per game. Senior libero Virginia Hernandez was an honorable mention All-LSC pick last year, finishing eighth in the conference with 4.21 digs average per game.

   Other returning contributors from last year’s team include sophomore middle blocker Amanda Waclawczyk and sophomore defensive specialist Ali Insell.

   Kingsville is hoping a few junior transfers such as setter Sondra Cui (St. Mary’s), middle blocker Laura Macek (Barton County College) and middle blocker Whitney Roth (Western Nebraska CC) can make an immediate impact.

 

   The Javelinas finished last in the LSC for the second straight year and are picked to end up there once again in 2010.

   To turn things around, head coach Ryan Dall again has to count on young runners. The current roster has 11 freshmen and three sophomores. The top returner includes junior Kiya Dandena, a standout in the regional meet with a 24th overall finish, the ninth-best among LSC runners. Last year as a sophomore, Dandena won both the Texas A&M-International and Incarnate Word Invitational’s during the season and finished second at the UT-San Antonio Ricardo Romo Fiesta Texas Classic.

 

   The Javelinas are looking to improve on a 10^th place finish from last year and will count on junior Jessica Martinez, who has improved in each of her first two years. Martinez had two top five finishes during the year and broke 20 minutes in the 5K at the Islander Splash meet.

   Martinez also had her best time of the season at the regional meet, finishing 68^th but also had a 17^th place finish at the LSC Championships.

   The Javelinas also have six freshmen on the roster, which includes only one senior – Grecia Volantin.