DOLORES – There’s plenty of excitement in Bear territory for the upcoming volleyball season – and with the combination of an influx of new talent, a wide-open San Juan Basin League title race, and a new head coach – there are a lot of reasons to see why.
Under new head coach Brianna Wyatt, who makes the move to Dolores after leading Mancos last fall, the Bears face the prospect of climbing back to a position that they regularly enjoyed at the end of the 2010s – atop the SJBL standings.
Senior Taylor Erautt has become a mainstay in the Dolores attacking front, and someone that Wyatt will look to for leadership along with a promising junior class. The Bears have athleticism all over the court, headlined by their leading attacker from a year ago – junior Kendall Chavez. Erautt and Chavez combined for over 200 kills last year while also providing some of the emotional ballast for the Bears to help them weather the ups and downs of an 8-14 season.
Classmate Madi Thornbrugh looks to continue her role as distributor for the Bears, having dished out nearly 300 assists last year – and she also possesses familiarity with Wyatt’s system, having played alongside Chavez on Wyatt’s Club Z program based in Farmington.
Meanwhile, fellow Class of ’27 contributor Akaia Edwards will provide power for Wyatt’s club from her right-side spot, while sophomore Jordyn Erautt looks to rise into a steady libero role.
“We’ve been working together for the past four months,” said Wyatt, “and we’ve had consistently 16 to 20 girls showing up, including some fresh faces that maybe hadn’t played for a while – it’s going to continue to grow.”
Part of the focus of offseason camps included gaining confidence in what it would take to win in the rigorous San Juan Basin League. “Winning and losing are both habits,” reflected Wyatt, “and keeping our energy level high was one of the winning habits that we’re developing.
Incoming transfer junior Aubree Wyatt was a major force for Mancos last year, and looks to make an immediate impact for the Bears on the attack while another of the head coach’s daughters, freshman Addyson Wyatt, will seek to make an immediate impact adding setting depth for the Bears. Classmate Layla Mitchell looks to help the Bears’ back line as she steps onto the high school scene for the first time.
“We’re moving forward together with a positive mindset, and that’s what we hope will propel these girls forward,” said Wyatt. “The energy and effort that these girls put into the offseason is something that will roll right into the season.”
The Bears have other upperclassmen in the program with plenty of varsity experience, giving Wyatt’s group depth as they prepare themselves to navigate a new era of Dolores volleyball.
Stern road tests to begin the season at Pagosa Springs (Aug. 26), a tournament in Crested Butte (Aug. 30), and a trip down Highway 145 to Montezuma-Cortez (Sept. 2) will help the Bears get prepared for league play, when they open their home schedule against Nucla on Sept. 4. The Bears meet their local rival Mancos twice this season (Sept. 11 and Oct. 2), while their lone meeting with Dove Creek arrives on Oct. 14. The Bears cap the regular season with home matches against Telluride (Oct. 23) and Ignacio (Oct. 28), with visions of building a strong record and return the program to the 2A postseason for the first time since 2021.
