LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Athletics returned to Lake-Sumter State College in 1998. It took two decades, but in 2018, for the first time in College history, an athletics team advanced to a National Junior College Athletic Association national tournament. 

Now the school has a second team to head to Nationals. 

Head Coach Amanda Phelps took over the Lake-Sumter volleyball team in 2016. Now the Lakehawks are headed to their second-ever appearance at Nationals, with Phelps leading the way. 

“It’s not about me. It’s really about the team and I’m just glad that I could be a part of history, I guess, and that I could help the girls get to this point,” said Phelps. 

Phelps gives her players all the praise. But when the team upset St. John’s River to punch their ticket to the tourney, the victory also tied Phelps for the most wins in program history, with 66. A win this weekend in Cedar Rapids would give her the record. 

“I don’t know that I’ll even realize it while we’re there. Someone will probably have to tell me when we come back. But if we’re winning at Nationals, I’ll be happy,” said Phelps. “So if that’s what it takes to break the record, then I’m here for it.”

The team set a program record this season with 24 wins. Phelps describes this year’s group as zesty. 

“The difference between our spring season to now, how much they’ve grown as athletes, as young ladies and stuff like that, it’s a really cool thing to be a part of,” said Phelps. 

One of the big contributors is the setter, Kayla Chambliss. 

“She would literally run through a wall if I asked her to. You never have to worry about her hustling. She’s super-fast, knows the game really well, and does not like to lose,” said Phelps. 

Chambliss has experience on a big stage. When she was a senior, her team at Leon High School in Tallahassee won state. But she says she was on the bench a lot that season.  

“I got a ring, but I didn’t really work for it. So I want one towards what I worked for, which kind of pushed me more,” said Chambliss. 

Freshman Sheyenne Kimpel’s older sister Jasmine played for Phelps on the 2018 Nationals team. So she was able to ask her big sis for advice.

“Literally play like it’s your last game, because at the end of it, you’ll never play with these people again. That really motivated me to have a lot of courage,” said Kimpel. 

The Lakehawks are relaxed and ready to continue their record-breaking season. 

“I love this group of girls. We’re like all family and we get along,” said Kimpel.

“Just to even beat the 2018 team would be an amazing dream come true,” added Chambliss. 

And Phelps believes they have the potential to finish higher than the 2018 team, who came in 11th. 

“We’ve been down in sets where you’re like, no way they’re coming back from this and we do and sometimes we win them,” said Phelps. 

The Lakehawks open play Thursday at 9 a.m. They’ll face Terra State in the first round of the Junior College National Tournament.