The Tusculum University women’s volleyball team has been voted to finish seventh in the South Atlantic Conference Coaches’ Poll, the league announced today.
Additionally, three Pioneers were named to the Players to Watch list: Addison McLarty, Jaida Alvin, and Breana Pelbath.
McLarty, an outside hitter from Acworth, Georgia, had an outstanding freshman campaign for the Pioneers. She already ranks second in program history in career attempts per set (9.95) and sixth in kills per set (2.82). McLarty was named the SAC All-Freshman Team and the TU Female Freshman Athlete of the Year. She played in all 27 matches in 2024, recording a team-best 265 kills with eight assists, six service aces, 103 digs, and 28 total blocks. The team MVP tallied at least one kill and at least one dig in all 27 matches, reaching double-digit kills 15 times. McLarty had match-bests of 20 kills (twice), two assists (twice), two aces, nine digs, and four blocks.
Alvin, an outside hitter from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, comes to Tusculum after two seasons at West Alabama. At her previous stop, Alvin totaled 428 kills, 42 assists, 70 service aces, 406 digs, and 43 blocks for the Tigers across 60 matches. She had highs of 15 kills, three assists, four aces, 18 digs, and three blocks.
Pelbath, a middle blocker from Lampasas, Texas, spent two years at region foe Lander. After redshirting as a freshman, Pelbath aided the Bearcats’ run to the region final in 2024. She totaled 64 kills, five assists, 12 digs, and 29 total blocks. Pelbath had highs of nine kills, five assists, three digs, and four blocks.
The Pioneers received 49 total points in a vote of the conference’s 12 head coaches. For the 20th consecutive season, Wingate has been voted to finish at the top of the league, garnering 109 points and 10 first-place nods. Lenoir-Rhyne and Anderson collected the final two first-place votes to finish in the top-three with 97 and 89 points, respectively. Carson-Newman (76), Lincoln Memorial (71), Mars Hill (64), Tusculum, and UVA Wise (32) are all expected to make the tournament as the top-eight teams. Rounding out the poll are Newberry (27), Catawba (26), Coker (21), and Emory & Henry (11).
Second-year head coach Hannah Barrett will have a roster of 27, looking to add another SAC championship to the program’s trophy case. Barrett retains eight from last year’s squad, adding three mid-year transfers in the spring. She brings in an additional 11 freshmen and five transfers for the fall. Her inaugural team went 13-14 (11-7 SAC), advancing to the SAC quarterfinals.
Tusculum opens the season with the Pioneer Classic, a three-day event running September 4-6, and will feature six teams including TU. Over the stint, TU will face Auburn-Montgomery, Converse, Lee, and Edinboro, with King also participating in the tournament.
The 2025 South Atlantic Conference Championship bracket will be based upon conference finish once again. The league’s top eight teams will square off on November 18 at the campus site of the respective higher seed. The SAC Championship semifinals and finals are slated to be held at the Rock Hill Sport and Events Center on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 21-22), respectively.
2025 Women’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
| Rank | School (First Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. | Wingate (10) | 109 |
| 2. | Lenoir-Rhyne (1) | 97 |
| 3. | Anderson (1) | 89 |
| 4. | Carson-Newman | 76 |
| 5. | Lincoln Memorial | 71 |
| 6. | Mars Hill | 64 |
| 7. | Tusculum | 49 |
| 8. | UVA Wise | 32 |
| 9. | Newberry | 27 |
| 10. | Catawba | 26 |
| 11. | Coker | 21 |
| 12. | Emory & Henry | 11 |
2025 Women’s Volleyball Preseason All-Conference
Emily Campbell, Anderson
Kayli Cleaver, Lenoir-Rhyne
Averie Dale, Lenoir-Rhyne
Maddie Hurst, Carson-Newman
Laela Jimenez, Mars Hill
Emily Johnson, Wingate
Sydney Morland, Wingate
Ellie Nieporte, Anderson
Gabby Saye, Wingate
Maya Van Heyst, Wingate
Players to Watch
Brooke Aeschliman, OH, Lenoir-Rhyne
Emerson Ahsmuhs, OH, Carson-Newman
Jaida Alvin, OH, Tusculum
Morgan Blankenship, OH/RS, UVA Wise
Riley Brandon, S/OH, UVA Wise
Blair Cherry, S, Carson-Newman
Abigail Curtis, DS/L, UVA Wise
Grace Duey, OH, Emory & Henry
Martina Foster, MB, Catawba
Cayla Gilmore, RS, Coker
Riley Hill, L, Catawba
Lauren Jacob, L, Lincoln Memorial
Hazar Kayan, OH, Coker
Alyssa Kornegay, S, Mars Hill
Addison McLarty, OH, Tusculum
Gracyn Miller, MB, Emory & Henry
Katrina Misra, OH, Catawba
Meadow Morse, L, Coker
Logan Newberry, S, Emory & Henry
Breana Pelbath, MB, Tusculum
Lauren Pickett, S, Lincoln Memorial
Ioana Poenaru, OH, Mars Hill
Carley Raleigh, S, Lincoln Memorial
Ava Reeves, OH, Anderson
Anna Schneider, OH, Newberry
Sam Shaffer, RS, Newberry
Madison Watson, MB, Newberry
