When Lizzy Stemke came to Georgia as the volleyball head coach in December last year, the program was reeling. Having fired Joel McCartney mid-season and installed Chad Hanson as interim head coach, Georgia was coming off its first losing season since 2006.

Fast forward a year and Stemke has set about changing everything about the Bulldog program — both on and off the court.

“Our first spring was all about laying the foundation and the systems that we wanted to build this program around,” Stemke said. “From the beginning of the season to now I think we’re a completely different team. Our staff is incredibly proud about where we’ve come to in just one season.”

One area that the new staff targeted on their arrival was to involve Bulldog volleyball more in the community. This included beginning sessions following Sunday home matches that allowed children to work with the players and coaches on various volleyball skills.

“I think our ‘Spikes Tykes’ Sunday clinics have been really integral in not only helping fill our stands but getting kids and people excited about volleyball in Athens,” Stemke said.

“I think the character that our players have shown — win or lose — after a match on Sunday to work with these kids has just been amazing. I think the community appreciates it.”

The players have also enjoyed getting involved with fans and members of the Athens and University communities.

“I think that we are really giving back to the community,” said sophomore outside hitter Brittany Northcutt. “I think the kids that come to our games love to get to work with us after we play — we’re all here to help them and I think that with these coaches it’s very important for us to give back to the community and show them that we care about them and them coming to our games.”

There have also been major changes to the team on the court. Stemke has been working to instill some specific principles in her team that have become somewhat of a motto for the Bulldogs.

“We’ve talked a lot about fight all year,” Stemke said. “This conference is a very big and physical conference but it’s not the size of the dog, it’s the size of the fight in the dog, and I think we have continued to not only learn that but really embrace.”

According to sophomore libero Allison Summers, the changes have brought about a more open atmosphere that has lead to the team and staff being closer.

“(They) really made sure that we knew communication was key,” Summers said. “We were always able to vocalize our opinions and able to come and talk to them and they made sure that we saw the potential we could be.”

Having spent three years as an assistant coach at Nebraska, her appointment as Georgia head coach was her first head coaching job. Stemke said she has enjoyed the step up for numerous reasons.

“This is probably the most energized, the most creative I’ve had to be in coaching,” Stemke said. “It’s so fun, it’s fresh, it’s exciting, I have terrific people to work with and that’s the most important thing — to do this all together. And I feel really lucky to be here.”

Last week the first year head coach signed her first two recruits for next season. Desiree McCray will come to Georgia from Columbia, S.C., ranked as one of the top 100 recruits in the country. McCray will be joined by Megan Spencer from Overland Park, Kan., who was one PrepVolleyball.com’s top 150 recruits for 2012.

“Both these kids are exactly in the direction that we would like to continue to build on,” Stemke said. “They fall right in line with the direction we want to go, and I think they’re not only going to be great athletes for this program but great personalities to continue to inspire the community and inspire more people to join in Georgia volleyball.”

While McCray and Spencer will be part of Stemke’s team next season, two of her current stars have been catching the eye on the court for more than just their play. Before every match Summers goes to each of her teammates to offer some last words of encouragement; however, she spends a few more seconds with Northcutt than any other member of the team. During their time as friends and roommates, they have developed an intricate handshake that is executed to perfection prior to every game.

“She’s my best friend, we’ve been roommates for the past two years and it was kind of important for us to do something before the game,” Summers said. “To get us toned in together to one another and it makes us laugh every time.”

While neither can remember the origin of their handiwork it has become as much of their game as digs and kills.

“We’re best friends and we play side by side on the court,” Northcutt said. “It’s kind of like a ritual we’re kind of superstitious right before every game we have to do it.”

Stemke, her players, and assistant coaches believe that whether it is volleyball or handshakes, their first season together has only been an indication of what is to come for Georgia volleyball.

“We broke a number of attendance records that were set from 1994,” Stemke said. “I think that’s a great sign of our community involvement as well as the product that’s out there is an exciting product and a group of girls that work really hard together and have fun out there — we hope that those attendance numbers continue to build but I think we’re just scratching the surface of what this program is headed towards.”