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After hoisting the net and wheeling out a cart full of volleyballs, 10 women took the court at Ave Maria Grammar and Preparatory School late Monday evening.

They represented the first intercollegiate practice in the history of Ave Maria University.

The members of the school’s volleyball team wore navy blue T-shirts with “Gyrenes,” their mascot, written in gold letters across their chests. It was the three simple words on their backs, however, that set the tone for the night and for Ave Maria’s inaugural athletic season:

The story begins.

“We have a chance to make history, and all of our players definitely see that,” coach Melissa Chaplin said as her players ran warm-up laps around the gym. “It’s unwritten history. Starting an athletic program, we have a chance to make our mark.”

Following months of planning, recruiting and scheduling, the Gyrenes took their first step in their voyage into college athletics. The immediate goal is to prepare for the school’s first varsity match in just three weeks, but players could see the big picture they started to paint Monday with those first serves, sets and spikes.

“I can’t wait to be the first team to show everyone that we can do it,” freshman Marlee Delarosa said. “Even though it’s our first year, we’re excited to show everyone what we can do.”

Ave Maria will field six varsity teams this season, and all six will be practicing soon. The women’s volleyball team took the honors of jump-starting the program Monday, while the men’s and women’s soccer teams will be having tryouts in the coming days.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as the men’s golf squad, also will hold tryouts once classes start in two weeks.

In April, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics accepted Ave Maria as associate member of the 282-school organization. Since then, the Gyrenes have become provisional members of the Florida Sun Conference, meaning they cannot take part in postseason tournaments this first season.

Ave Maria must receive accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to gain full membership into the NAIA.

Athletic director Brian Scanlan said the Gyrenes should be full members of the organization and the Florida Sun Conference next season.

The weeks leading up to Monday’s first volleyball practice were hectic for Chaplin, a former Florida Gulf Coast University player who also is the school’s sports information director, and Scanlan. The two have been busy finalizing schedules and continuing to recruit players.

While there’s still much work to be done, Scanlan took pride in the 10 Gyrenes he saw taking part in hitting drills Monday.

“The last month has been a roller-coaster ride,” Scanlan said. “With all the highs and lows, it really is really, really rewarding to finally look out there.”

Though the Gyrenes volleyball team was the first to take the court, its roster still isn’t finalized. There were 11 players listed on Monday’s provisional roster, but Chaplin hopes to get commitments from two more players before the season starts.

Ave Maria’s first intercollegiate season will officially start Aug. 26 when the volleyball team hosts Southeastern University out of Lakeland in the university’s first varsity contest. Also that day, the golf team hosts an invitational at Del Webb, the town’s golf course.

“It’s an amazing feeling because we grew up watching (Ave Maria) grow, and now we’re in it,” said volleyball player Luisa Rosales, a 2007 Palmetto Ridge graduate in her second year at the school. “It’s a wonderful experience, especially after being here one year and now being involved with athletics.”

Rosales is joined by Delarosa, a 2007 graduate of Immokalee, and Jessica Wylie, a 2005 Estero grad, as the only locals on a team featuring players from three states and three countries.

For the players with area ties, their mission is two-fold. They want to be help their school’s new athletic program flourish, which they hope will in turn benefit the community where they were raised.

“I really want players locally, when they’re looking for colleges, to say, ‘Oh, Ave Maria is one of them. I play volleyball, and they have a really good team,’” Rosales said. “We want to build a foundation here for the local high schools and all the girls around here.”

“We’re going to set the line,” Delarosa added. “We’re going to set it high.”