GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team begins its 26-match campaign with a pair of out-of-state tournaments before 18-straight league matches to finish out the year.

First-year head coach Hannah Barrett will have a roster of 22, looking to add another SAC championship to the program's trophy case. Barrett retains 14 from the title squad who went 22-7 (15-3 SAC), while adding eight to the arsenal (five freshmen and three transfers).

THIS WEEK
The Pioneers begin their 2024 season at the three-day Redderson Invitational, hosted by Lander, over the first weekend of September (Sept. 5-7). The Pioneers start play with the hosting Bearcats before taking on Florida Tech, North Greenville, and Clark Atlanta.

The Pioneers and Bearcats have not faced off since 2017, with Lander holding the 8-6 all-time lead. LU went 28-7 overall and 10-2 in Peach Belt Conference action. They finished as the PBC championship runner-up, earning the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional.

TU and Florida Tech had their inaugural meeting last season as the Panthers won 3-1 in the neutral site match. Tech finished the 2023 campaign with a 9-21 (3-17 Sunshine State Conference) mark.

Tusculum holds a perfect 13-0 record over North Greenville, but the region foes have not seen one another since 2008. After a summer rebrand, the now-Trailblazers set a program record with their 23-7 mark and went 14-3 in Conference Carolinas action. NGU ended its season in its conference tournament semifinals.

The Pioneers won the first-ever meeting over Clark Atlanta via a three-set sweep in 2023. The Panthers had their first 20-win season since 2012, finishing 21-10 (14-5 SIAC) and reached the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference semifinals.

STREAMING/TICKETS
Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.

Get ready for the 2024 SAC women's volleyball season and sign up for FloSports today. Be sure to sign-up here (flosports.tv/SAC) to receive special promotional pricing available only to fans of the SAC and its member institutions. Additionally, those who use a .edu email from a SAC member institution will be able to sign up at a discounted subscription price.

Tusculum University Athletics has a partnership with HomeTown Ticketing as the official digital ticketing provider for Pioneer home athletics events. Working with HomeTown Ticketing gives fans the ability to purchase tickets for TU home athletic events online for a touchless ticketing experience. Fans may purchase tickets online for TU home athletic events at www.TusculumPioneers.com/tickets.

Hometown Ticketing allows fans to print tickets at home or use mobile entry tickets at the gate. Tickets purchased at home are easily shared with friends and family.

Current Pioneer Club members may continue to use their membership cards to be granted admission for ticketed home athletic events.

For information about tickets, please contact Assistant Athletic Director Jenna Biggins at jbiggins@tusculum.edu. For information about becoming a member of the Pioneer Club, please reach out to Robert Zirkle at rzirkle@tusculum.edu or (423) 636-7331.

MEET THE TEAM
Earlier this month, the SAC Preseason All-Conference teams were announced, with four Pioneers earning a nod. Madison Adkins landed on the second team, while the third team featured a trio from TU: Martina Foster, Whitney Thompson, and Olivia Crowl.

Adkins, an Olive Hill, Kentucky native, is coming off of a banner year, which included American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America honorable mention honors. Other athletic laurels include AVCA All-Region, all-conference third team, and SAC All-Tournament Team. Adkins played in 96 sets across all 29 matches in the 2023 title run, recording 64 kills, 860 assists (8.96 per set), 42 service aces (second-most on the team), 223 digs, and 52 total blocks (six solo, 46 assists). She hit double-digit assists in 27-of-29 matches, including 25-straight. The now-senior came one kill shy of a triple-double at Mars Hill with nine kills, 47 assists, and 20 digs (all career highs). Adkins ranks 13th in career assists in the TU record book (1,092).

Foster, a native of Hickory, North Carolina, was also a member of the SAC All-Tournament Team that resulted in the program's first championship. The now-junior middle blocker was one of three players to compete in all 99 sets in 2023. Foster totaled 157 kills on a .284 hitting percentage, five assists, 17 service aces, 39 digs, and a team-best 100 total blocks (12 solo, 88 assists). She recorded at least one kill in every match and a block in 28-of-29 contests. Her season high of 13 kills came at the perfect time, in the SAC title match against Wingate.

Thompson, out of Arroyo Grande, California, was a vital part of the rotation during her first season in Greeneville. The rising senior right side hitter played in 87 sets across 28 matches, recording 172 kills on a .261 hitting percentage, one assist, 41 digs, and 53 total blocks (third-most on the team). Thompson reached double figures in kills six times and notched at least one block in 21 outings. She matched her season-high 12 kills in the NCAA regional opener.

Crowl, hailing from California, Ky., made herself invaluable in the second half of the season, playing in 61 sets across 21 matches during her inaugural campaign at Tusculum. The rising senior middle blocker recorded 83 kills, two assists, seven digs, and 56 total blocks (11 solo, 45 assists), second-most on the team. Crowl is credited with a block in 19-of-21 contests and landing at least two kills in 20. Her season-high nine kills came in the SAC Championship match, while tying her best seven blocks in the tournament semifinals against Anderson.

Coming alongside the quartet are 10 returners.

Jordyn Anderson (Overland Park, Kan.) played in 47 sets across 19 matches during her first indoor season. As a sophomore, the defensive specialist totaled six kills, eight assists, eight service aces, and 74 digs. She notched match highs of two kills, two assists, three aces (twice), and 14 digs.

Amiranee Au (Knoxville, Tenn.) played in 63 sets across 22 matches as a junior. The libero/defensive specialist recorded two kills, 23 assists, seven aces, and a career-best 153 digs. Au reached double figures in digs five times, including a career-high 19 at UVA Wise.

Isabella Bianchin (Matthews, N.C.) redshirted in 2023, but was a key fixture on the TU bench. The sophomore middle blocker aided the coaching staff during the SAC title run.

Maddie Creswell (Seymour, Tenn.) had limited action as a defensive specialist last season. The rising senior played in four sets across three matches, recording a pair of receptions.

Jamianne Foster (Hickory, N.C.) saw the most action of her career as a junior. The right side hitter played in seven sets across four matches. The elder Foster sister tallied five kills, two digs, and two block assists.

Christina Jackson (Yulee, Fla.) saw more playing time as a sophomore. The outside/right side hitter played in 24 sets across 12 matches, notching 26 kills, one assist, seven digs, and 13 total blocks (two solo, 11 assists). Jackson had her best performances during the first week of the season, tallying six kills, three digs, and five block assists, all within the opening five matches.

Jordyn Roderick, a hometown product, played in four sets across four matches in her freshman season. The outside hitter tallied three kills and one dig, with a pair of kills coming at UVA Wise.

Taylor Sanders (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) made her debut in 2023 after sitting out the previous season due to injury. The rising senior played in 45 sets across 20 matches, recording five kills, three assists, five aces, 39 digs, and one block assist. The outside hitter/defensive specialist had two kills and two digs against UVA Wise, while her seven digs and one block were at Carson-Newman.

Macey Snapp, from nearby Chuckey, appeared in two sets as a freshman defensive specialist.

McKayla Willey (Abbeville, S.C.) played in 29 sets across 11 matches as a sophomore. The outside hitter tallied 37 kills, three digs, and nine total blocks (one solo, eight assists). She tied her collegiate best seven kills against Emory & Henry with three blocks coming in two different appearances.

New to Tusculum, but not college volleyball, are three transfers: Madison O'Sullivan, Katherine Perrin, and Marli Watkins.

O'Sullivan (Ormond Beach, Fla.) enrolled at TU in the 2024 Spring semester after playing two seasons at Polk State. The setter ranks in the top-five in the program's career assists chart with 1,108 (7.44 per set). In her time for the Eagles, O'Sullivan competed in 149 sets across 44 matches with 43 kills, 30 aces, 312 digs, and 20 total blocks, in addition to her assist total. She also earned all-conference honors as a sophomore. She had match-highs of four kills, 50 assists, four aces, 18 digs, and three blocks.

Perrin (Roswell, Ga.) comes to Tusculum as a graduate transfer, spending four years at Reinhardt. The right side hitter played in 90 matches for the Eagles, totaling 769 kills (2.64 per set) on a .239 hitting percentage, 14 assists, 224 digs, nine service aces, and 128 total blocks. In her senior year alone, Perrin was credited with 340 kills (3.40 per set) on a .294 clip and 131 digs. She has match-highs of 22 kills, 11 digs, and five blocks (twice).

Watkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) transfers over to TU after a year at conference foe Emory & Henry. The right side hitter appeared in 43 sets across 18 matches for the Wasps, recording 51 kills, five assists, 14 digs, and 18 total blocks (five solo, 13 assists). As for match-highs, Watkins notched seven kills (twice), three assists, three digs, and three blocks (twice).

Five freshmen will vie for playing time in their first season at the collegiate level.

Kelstin Burnette (South Pittsburg, Tenn.) was a three-sport athlete at South Pittsburg High School, competing in volleyball, basketball, and softball. Lettering in the latter two for three seasons, the outside hitter earned two marks in volleyball. In her senior campaign, Burnette collected all-conference honors and was the MVP. The Pirates advanced to the district tournament twice in her time. Burnette tallied 61 service aces and 138 kills in her final year on the court.

Sofia De Los Mozos (Lake Worth, Fla.) graduated from Trinity Christian Academy, lettering five years in volleyball, three in softball, and two in beach volleyball, basketball, and soccer. The setter was named to the 2022 all-county team and was the most valuable player from 2020-24. The Warriors were district runner-up in 2022-23. For her career, De Los Mozos racked up 336 kills on a .460 average with 277 digs and 1,222 assists across 272 sets. She also played for Wizards Volleyball Academy in club action.

Addison McLarty (Acworth, Ga.) graduated from Allatoona High School and was a four-time first team all-region selection for the Buccaneers. The outside hitter also garnered three first team all-state honors. Named team captain for her final two years, McLarty had the top hitting percentage each campaign, as well as the most kills for two of them. She also played for 575 18-1, qualifying in the 18 open.

Karris Oller (Thornton, Colo.) attended Horizon High School, lettering four years on the court.The middle blocker/right side hitter was twice named second team all-conference with an honorable mention nod as a junior. Oller was also a three-time academic all-state selection, most improved as a freshman, and team captain as a senior. The Hawks advanced to the region playoffs each year as well. For her career, Oller tallied 634 kills, 172 total blocks, and 79 service aces. She also played for The Diff, placing top-five in several qualifiers, including gold at the Boston Nike Fest.

Audrey Tribble (Rockvale, Tenn.) lettered three seasons at Eagleville High School, earning district most valuable player honors twice. The setter has racked up all-region, all-area, and all-state laurels and collected 2022 co-player of the year accolades as well. Tribble was on three player to watch lists in 2023. The Eagles were three-time district champions and region runner-ups, while adding two sectional championships. Tribble finished her career with a school-record 2325 assists and 562 digs. Additionally, she played for MidTn Black (17 & 18), winning 17s in SRVA and the regional qualifier in 18s.