"Awesome" and "surreal" are two words that Brandi Sroka used to describe her new coaching position at Baldwin High School.

"I never thought Lynda would retire this early," said Sroka, referring to former Highlanders girls' volleyball coach Lynda Scahill. "When I read about the opening, I just had to apply."

And to her surprise, Sroka was hired to replace her former coach.

"It's very awesome to be coaching at my alma mater," said Sroka, who graduated from Baldwin in 2004. "It's a surreal experience to walk into the gym every day. I love volleyball, and I love Baldwin volleyball.

"I've already told my girls several times just how lucky they are to be playing volleyball here and the experience of playing volleyball at Baldwin. I just love it so much. It's my dream job."

Sroka was hired March 11, despite having only one year of coaching experience.

"It was really hard to leave my girls at Peters Township," said Sroka, who led the Indians to a 6-6 record in Section 2-AAA in her coaching debut last season. "But the atmosphere is so much different at Baldwin. That's where I belong. I'm only five minutes from my home."

Sroka got a chance to coach against Scahill and the Highlanders last season.

"[Peters Township] faced Baldwin at the Upper St. Clair tournament and split two games during pool play," said Sroka, a graduate and three-year starter at Wheeling Jesuit University. "That was my only encounter with last year's [Highlanders] squad."

Thus, Sroka had very little knowledge of the Highlanders.

"I came in with an open mind," Sroka said. "I didn't care who was a returning starter. I wanted to give everybody an equal chance to earn playing time. I'm fortunate to have a very big senior class. I have 11 seniors, six juniors, and one sophomore."

Sroka used all 18 players in Baldwin's 2009 debut at the Franklin Regional tournament on Saturday.

"Our schedule has us entered in tournaments the first two weekends of the year," Sroka said. "Our goal was to win one of those tournaments."

Sroka and her Baldwin squad reached that goal at Franklin Regional by capturing the title.

"It was an eight-team tournament," Sroka said. "We played Franklin Regional in the semifinals and lost the first game, but came back to win the next two, including a 15-13 win in game three. The same thing happened in the championship match against Penn Hills. We lost the first game and I changed from a 6-2 offense to a 5-1. That was the key to our victory."

Baldwin's roster includes four seniors who were recognized on the All-Section 5-AAA team last season. Sarah Malaskovitz, a 5-foot-5 defensive specialist, was voted to the first team. Rachel Dindak, a 5-10 setter/right-side hitter, and Carly Gerba, a 5-9 middle hitter, were second-team selections. Alyssa Thorne, a 5-7 outside hitter, was an honorable mention selection.

"All 18 girls saw playing time at the tournament, and 12 got to play a lot," Sroka said. "Those 12 will see the most playing time when we begin section play [next Tuesday]."

Also seeing significant playing time at Franklin Regional were 5-6 senior defensive specialist Liz Moeslein, 5-8 senior outside hitter Tory Storino, 5-7 senior right-side hitter Kristen Dedig, 5-5 junior setter Adria Zern, 5-6 junior right-side hitter Kelly Sawl, 5-10 junior middle hitter Nicole Frankenfield, 5-6 junior setter Nikki Oakes and 5-10 junior outside hitter Jenna Snyder.

"We don't have anything scheduled until Saturday," Sroka said. "We're entered in the 20-team Upper St. Clair tournament. It will be a big challenge. We're really looking forward to it."

Sroka and her squad are also looking forward to a trip at the end of September.

"We're flying to Tampa (Fla.) to compete in the Berkley Prep High School Tournament," Sroka said. "It's one of the best high school tournaments on this side of the country. I played in this tournament when I was at Baldwin. It's a great experience."

Baldwin placed third in Section 5-AAA last year with a 6-4 record.

"I don't think Baldwin has won a section title since I was playing there," Sroka said. "Our goal is to get back on top in the section, but it will not be easy with Mt. Lebanon and Moon in the picture."

Baldwin will play host to Moon Area in its section opener next Tuesday.