Smokey Vitek enjoys the saying, “If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.”

That’s why Vitek doesn’t mind that her Rosemount volleyball team plays in the South Suburban Conference, which will go into this fall with four teams ranked in the top 10 in Class 3A.

The Irish are in that group, but at No. 6, up-and-coming Rosemount is still just the fourth-highest-ranked team in the conference.

Prior Lake is No. 1, according to the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association. Eagan is second and Lakeville South fourth.

And that saying about beating the best? Well, the Irish went 0-4 against those programs last year.

“Having such a strong conference has made us a better program,” Vitek said. “Just five years or so ago, we’d have to play our very best to beat anyone on a given night. … Now, we’re one of the better programs, and we’d really like to take that next step.”

Vitek is entering her third season as the Rosemount head coach, after a stretch as the program’s JV coach. This year’s squad, she said, is the most talented she’s been around.

The Irish return five seniors from last year’s team, which finished with a 21-10 record overall, including 6-3 in league play (good for fourth place). Rosemount lost to Lakeville South in the semifinals of the Section 3 tournament.

That group of seniors is highlighted by Brittany McLean, a first-team All-Metro selection entering her fifth varsity season.

“She’s probably one of the strongest players in the state,” Vitek said of McLean, who has committed to play for the Gophers. “We run a lot of what we do through her. … It puts a lot of pressure on her, as far as other teams trying to stop her and people looking at her as one of the better players, but it also helps the rest of the team. They can have confidence in knowing that we can play off her strengths and everyone else’s strengths.”

Erin Slinde is another key to the Irish offense. Vitek said she also has NCAA Division I talent, and the senior setter is “the backbone of the team.”

Alyssa Ottman, Katie Kalinowski and Abby Nelson also bring four years of varsity experience as seniors.

Throw in junior Katie Lienemann and freshman Mari Hinkle, who played as an eighth-grader, and the Irish have the makings of a strong, experienced squad.

Vitek lauded the work many players put in during the offseason. “They’ve looked very strong and have improved a lot,” she said.

Vitek is hoping that translates to another jump for the program. The Irish have never finished better than third at sections in Vitek’s tenure. Section 3 will experience some shake-up this year — both Lakeville schools are out — but is still strong at the top with Eagan and newcomer Cretin-Derham Hall, which is ranked No. 3.

Vitek likes where her team is at heading into Monday’s first official practice. The Irish finished second at the 32-team Minnesota Breakdown Elite Tournament and had a good showing at the U’s summer team camp.

Rosemount opens the season Sept. 1 at Bloomington Jefferson.

“[Expectations] are high. From the players, coaches, everyone — we expect to have a very strong season,” Vitek said. “It’ll just come down to if we can beat some of those teams we haven’t in the past. I think we’re ready to take that next step.”