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Team members are, from left, front, Lauren McCallum (New Diana), Hannah Hildebrand (Carthage), Taryn Dyess (Troup), back, Coach Lyndsay Mashe, Julie Fielding (Henderson), Emily Todd (Longview), Abbey Bybel (White Oak), Hillary Shaffer (Brownsboro), Jenna Shorter (Henderson), Kelci Lind (Lindale), and Coach Nicole McCray-Thorn

It may be summer, but Coach Nicole Thorn is still coaching volleyball.

Panola College Volleyball Head Coach Thorn and Lyndsay Mashe, head coach at East Texas Baptist University, coach the East Texas Juniors 17  Black, a competitive club that travels around the country. The team finished in first place at the North Texas Invitational and the Spring Fling Tournament in Dallas recently.

The team finished ninth out of 118 teams at the Big South National Qualifier in Atlanta, Ga., and seventh out of 120 teams at the Lone Star National Qualifier in Dallas. More about the team can be found on the club website ET Juniors.

"Coaching club is a great experience not only for the athletes but for us as well," said Coach Thorn.  "It allows us to travel and see different players across the state in all different age groups.  This also helps with recruiting because all of the teams more than likely will play at the same site.  It's a wonderful experience and I enjoy working with great student-athletes that are from the East Texas Area."

Team members are Lauren McCallum of New Diana, Hanna Hildebrand of Carthage, Taryn Dyess of Troup, Jenna Shorter of Henderson, Abbey Bybel of White Oak, Hillary Shaffer of Brownsboro, Julie Fielding of Henderson, Emily Todd of Longview and Kelci Lind of Lindale.