Heading into her fourth year with the Lady Bison volleyball team, head coach Meredith Fear has challenged her young team with a simple charge: Be relentless.

“Coach always has a theme, and this year it’s being relentless,” senior outside hitter Molly Howard said. “We need to really make sure no matter who we’re playing, no matter what we’re doing, whether it’s a scrimmage, whether it’s a practice, whether it’s yoga day, we’re out there doing things for a purpose.”

The Lady Bisons will need to buy in to compete in the Great American Conference (GAC).

“The GAC is getting tougher every year,” Fear said. “This year the biggest difference is the addition of Oklahoma Baptist (University). They were NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), and they came in and were voted fourth preseason, which tells you how competitive they can be.”

After losing three seniors, this year’s group has a more youthful look with seven freshmen on the roster.

“Every year you have a new team, and this year our dynamic is that we’re really young,” Howard said.

Both she and Fear still have high hopes for the season, despite the inexperience.

“With this team, we’re just going to keep getting better week by week,” Fear said. She said she sees the upcoming season as an opportunity for new girls to step up and contribute immediately.

“I think overall it’s going to be a good thing for our program, and I’m excited to kind of have a new base that can grow with the program over the next few years.”

The Lady Bisons will look to get back on top of the GAC after finishing fourth last year.

They will rely heavily on Howard, who switched positions in the offseason, transitioning from right side to outside hitter.

“I tried to step into that role early on, and for me, I just need to keep that leadership mindset,” Howard said. “I’ve already transitioned in the spring, now it’s just putting it into game-like situations. It’s not just about me, it’s about making sure everyone is on the same page.”

Four juniors will also join Howard as the team’s leaders: setter Abigail Glosup, middle blocker Sara Smith, and defensive specialists Anna Leigh Cargile and Bianca Trevino.

“We have a legacy to uphold,” said Howard. “We always have high expectations for Harding volleyball.”

The Lady Bisons open play Friday, Sept. 4 at 1:30 p.m. against Texas A&M-Commerce at the Texas Women’s Hilton Garden Inn Classic in Denton, Texas.