Williamsville South starts new chapter with Hodgson directing the offense

Overview

• Cathy Hummel begins her first season at Will South after 24 years coaching at the college level and at least 12 years in club volleyball.
• Hummel pointed to Gabriella Hodgson as a central piece in the team's attack, calling the setter a natural leader and a major factor in the program's success.
• Will South finished 19-2 in 2025-26; Hummel said a handful of players return from that group as the team replaces key graduates.
• The coach wants an "everyone eats" offense, with passers helping Hodgson spread the ball and servers working aggressively to force opponents out of system.
• Will South opens Sept. 2 at Frontier and visits Orchard Park on Sept. 14 before hosting Cheektowaga on Sept. 17.

Williamsville South enters the 2026 girls volleyball season with a new head coach and a team trying to shape its own identity.

Cathy Hummel is in her first year at Will South after coaching at the college level for 24 years, most recently at Canisius University before leaving in 2016. She has also coached club volleyball for at least 12 years, and said she earned CAA Conference MVP honors once at James Madison and once at Hofstra while playing setter.

Will South finished 19-2 in 2025-26 and will build its new offense around junior setter Gabriella Hodgson. Hummel described Hodgson as the team's court quarterback and said the setter is central to both the offense and the team's emotional tone.

"As I have mentioned before Gabby has a huge impact on the success of this program, probably bigger than any other," Hummel said. "She is a super talented setter and a natural leader."

Hummel said Will South is "looking forward to creating a new identity" after losing key players to graduation. She also noted that the team has a handful of players back from a successful 2025 season, giving the group some familiarity as the new staff and roster come together.

The style goal is clear: better first contact, aggressive serving and a more balanced attack.

"I want a team that is eager to be there and appreciative," Hummel said. "We get to play and coach a sport we love on a day-to-day basis. What's better than that?"

Hummel wants an "everyone eats" offense, with passers making Hodgson's job easier and servers trying to get opponents out of system as often as possible. The growth point, she said, is getting the team's "hard work, talent, effort and confidence" to rise together.

Will South opens Sept. 2 at Frontier. The early schedule continues with Orchard Park, Cheektowaga, Maryvale, Lake Shore and Amherst before October brings matchups with Lake Shore, Portville, West Seneca East, Clarence, Cheektowaga, Maryvale, Williamsville North and Amherst.

Fans can follow the team on Instagram at wshsgirlsvarsityvball, and Hummel said matches are streamed on Hudl.