BUTLER TWP — A successful fall athletic season should be in the works at Butler County Community College.

The Pioneers' women's volleyball and men's golf teams begin play this weekend with high expectations.

Seventh-year golf coach Bill Miller has never won the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (WPCC) — finishing second three times — but may have a shot at it this year.

"I'll reserve judgment on that until I see Potomac State," Miller said. "They've won the conference six times in a row and usually have eight or nine scholarship golfers on their team."

BC3 returns two all-conference golfers in Butler graduate Antonio Baroffio and Knoch graduate Ethan Danner. Baroffio qualified for nationals last season and finished 41st out of 97 golfers in that event.

Newcomers include Knoch graduates Corey Branchen and Jake Gombos, Butler graduate Jacob Shewalter and Seneca Valley graduate Derek Hathazy. Another golfer, Anthony D'Aprile, is from outside the area.

"We just had a scrimmage at Penn State-New Kensington and Branchen was our low man with an 80," Miller said. "Derek Hathazy had an 83.

"Hathazy was an excellent hockey player at Seneca Valley. He's a tremendous athlete."

The Pioneers won the Region XX title as a team last year.

"It's actually easier for us to win the region than our conference because the region match involves only Division III teams," Miller said. "There are Division II teams in our league."

BC3 begins its season Sunday with the WPCC Kick-Off Tournament at The Wisp in Garrett, Md.

Like its golf counterparts, BC3's volleyball team finished second in the conference to Potomac State last year, sporting a 17-10 record.

The Pioneers entered the Region XX Tournament as the No. 4 seed, won the tournament and wound up placing sixth out of eight teams at the national meet in Rochester, Minn.

It was the team's first trip to nationals since 2002.

"Our goal is the same as it is every year," Pioneers coach Rob Snyder said. "Win the league, win the region, get to nationals."

Snyder is in his second consecutive year as coach, 12th overall. His 12-player roster this year is the biggest he's ever had.

Nine of the 12 players are sophomores, including seven returnees.

"This is the first time I've returned all of my starters," Snyder said. "Five or six of these girls are 5-foot-10 or 5-11, too, so the size is there.

"We're going to a 62 formation, using two setters. I haven't had the depth to do that in a while."

The setters will be A-C Valley graduate Kelli Davis and Seneca Valley graduate Sarah Beals. Beals was MVP of the Region XX tourney last year and Davis was an all-tournament selection.

Fellow all-tourney choices Hillary Pendel from Slippery Rock and Jamie Antosyk from Knoch — both outside hitters — return as well.

Other returnees include defensive specialists Tegan Schellman from Slippery Rock and Caitlyn Cress from Butler, along with middle hitter Ashley Campbell from Karns City.

Newcomers on the squad are sophomores Rachel Doutt from Butler and Samantha Sharpless from Linesville, freshmen Stephanie Eagal from Knoch, Chelsea Pallone and Danielle Lloyd of Butler.

"Rachel went to Robert Morris last year and didn't play volleyball," Snyder said. "When I heard she was coming here this fall, I called her to see if she'd be interesing in joining us.

"She's a very talented player. All of our newcomers will contribute. They just add to what was already here."

The Pioneers host the BC3 Early Bird Kickoff Tournament at 9 a.m. Saturday.