"It makes you realize how fast it goes. It really comes fast," Devlin says. "It makes you... not regret anything, but sometimes wish that you had done things differently when the chance presented itself.

"You don't really realize it back in the beginning. So I'm going full out this season."

Devlin's words are laced with the excitement of a rookie and not the comfort or cockiness of some veterans. Devlin, along with fifth-years Kristin Peters, a right-side, and Sandra-Joy Unaegbu, a middle, forms the core of this group. Devlin, Peters and Unaegbu all were members of the 2004-05 championship team and will be looked at to provide leadership for the WolfPack this season.

Devlin, though, whether she likes it or not, is the face of this team. The 5-foot-10 outside hitter out of Revelstoke is recognizable because of her athletic feats - if you've seen her jump up and drive the ball down, you know of these feats - and her vocal behaviour on the court.

Keith Anderson / Daily News

"I find that she talks the talk and walks the walk," Barrett says. "When she verbalizes what she wants done, she does it herself. She has high expectations of the people around her and of herself."

Barrett is well known for having high expectations of her own. She was an assistant coach with the Alberta Pandas from 1998-2000, helping the team win a pair of CIS titles. Barrett came to TRU for the 2000-01 season and built a college program of excellence that culminated with a provincial bronze medal in 2003-04 and gold in 2004-05.

This year's version of the WolfPack, Barrett believes, has what it takes to get back on top. She likes the mix of vets and rookies.

No doubt, the newcomers to this team - players liek 6-foot-3 right side Kim Olness of Calgary and 6-foot-3 middle Vanessa Wiebe of Surrey - should see court tie early and Barrett would like to see them take advantage of that as soon as possible.

What Barrett also has this season is a 16-player roster, a large number for any volleyball team but one that gives the coach relief when the injury bug hits or a certain player is performing.

So what does all of this - the mix of vets and rookies, the large roster, the promising newcomers - mean to Barrett? Can this club expect a trip to the Canada West playoffs and, looking further, the CIS nationals?

"It's silly because a lot of people will probably laugh at the though of a second-year team going in (to nationals)," Barrett says. "We don't have national-team players on our team or we haven't recruited the top athletes of the country or whatever it might be. But I really believe that on any given day, any team can accomplish whatever they dream. If our team believes it enough, we have the capability."

The WolfPack is to open its season on Nov. 3 and 4 at home to the Saskatchewan Huskies. Game time at TRU gym on Nov. 3 is 6 p.m., with the Nov. 7 game to start at 7 p.m.