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Texas A&M volleyball coach Laura "Kuhn" Bird watches her team during Thursday's practice. 

Texas A&M sophomore setter Nisa Buzlutepe sets during drills at practice in Reed Arena on Thursday.

A vastly revamped Texas A&M volleyball team started drills this week in anticipation of putting a disappointing season behind in a big way. The Aggies have 10 newcomers — five transfers and five freshmen.

“The energy is so awesome and we started to feel it during camps when people were here working,” A&M head coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn said. “It’s a lot of new faces, but it’s really good energy and everyone is fired up to be in the gym.”

The transfers include outside hitter Caroline Meuth, who earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors twice at Notre Dame, and setter Elena Karakasi, who ranks ninth all-time in assists at Syracuse.

The incoming freshman class was ranked 13th in the country by PrepVolleyball.com, the highest in Kuhn’s five seasons. The group includes Houston Fulshear libero Ava Underwood and Frisco outside hitter Lexi Guinn, who were ranked 18th and 22nd, respectively, in the class of 2022 by PrepVolleyball.com. Flower Mound Marcus middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla and George Ranch right side hitter Logan Lednicky were prep All-Americans by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

A&M’s returning players are led by graduate libero/defensive specialist Allison Fields, junior middle blocker Madison Bowser, and senior outside hitters Destiny Cox and Ciera Hecht.

The influx of newcomers will help A&M replace several key players, including setter Camille Conner who played in 131 career matches and middle blocker Mallory Talbert who played in 94. Conner led the team last year in assists, Talbert led in hitting percentage and blocks and Macy Carrabine led the team in digs. Conner and Carrabine were fifth-year seniors. Last season’s fourth major statistical leader, junior Morgan Christon, who led in kills, opted not to play the sport this year.

The reshuffled Aggies have two weeks to iron things out before opening with the Texas A&M Invitational with matches against Hawai’i, San Diego and Pittsburgh.

“I think we have a great mix of youth and just talent, and returners,” Kuhn said. “I think it’s just a fun, new vibe, is what I would call it. But I don’t know if I’d call it rebuilding. I just think it’s new.”

A&M was 14-14 last season, missing the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. The Aggies started by wining seven of nine, but had a stretch in Southeastern Conference play where they lost nine of 10. A&M ended the season by sweeping Missouri (5-26, 2-16) to finish 7-11 in league play for ninth place.

“I truly believe, sometimes you just have a rough year,” Fields said. “Sometimes you don’t mesh in. I can’t pinpoint exactly why we had a year like we had. But, I think the coolest thing is [we] can say we are learning from that year, completely, especially as returners. We don’t want to feel that way ever again.”

Fields said the newcomers from the get-go bought into the returners’ vision, making for a smooth transition.

“And they want to bring the energy, the spark,” Fields said. “They want to be the change. I mean, the transfers have come in and already brought things to our team of how we can build team chemistry.”

A&M has plenty to prove. The Aggies were picked 10th in the SEC coaches’ preseason poll. A&M, though, was only eight points behind seventh-place Ole Miss. A&M’s best finish under Kuhn was tying for third in 2019 after tying for fifth in 2018.

“We’re here to win championships,” said Kuhn, adding they haven’t accomplished enough in her first four years, but she likes the trajectory of the program. “You always go through ebbs and flows. You have to get the right chemistry, the competitive chemistry. Every season is new, every team is different. You can return players, but we’re always going to be adding new pieces. Finding that and being consistent with that is the key. I think we’re in a really good spot right now and I’m really excited about this group.”

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A&M adds 2 matches: The A&M volleyball team has added home matches against Sam Houston State at 5 p.m. Sept. 6 and against Louisiana-L…

Texas A&M volleyball coach Laura "Kuhn" Bird watches her team during Thursday's practice. 

Texas A&M sophomore setter Nisa Buzlutepe sets during drills at practice in Reed Arena on Thursday.

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