MOREHEAD, KY. — With the infancy of their first year of Division I volleyball in the rearview mirror, the Royals look forward to more progress as they begin to take aim on the upper levels on the ASUN Conference.
2023 Eagle Challenge
Location: Morehead, Ky.
Venue: Johnson Arena
Stream: ESPN+ (Morehead State vs. Queens only)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Find the Queens Women's Volleyball game notes
here.
ROYALS NOTES: Queens Univ. of Charlotte
2022 Season: 7-22, 2-14 in the ASUN. Ranked 12th in the ASUN 2023 Preseason Coaches Poll.
- Despite coming off a seven-win season in the year prior, the 2023 squad returns all but one starter on the floor, with four new freshman faces in
Tilley Collins,
Callie DeSchryver,
Claire Jenkins, and
Anna Grace Sparks.
- Returners:
Ella Porter (R-Fr.),
Hallie Brown (So.), and
Ellis Sargent (So.), while
Jesse George (Jr.),
Jordyn Johnson (Jr.),
Kaylin Dowling (Jr.),
Alleigh Johnson (Jr.),
Kayla McDuffie (Jr.), and
Kendall Buish (Jr.) make up the large junior class.
Grace Giunta (R-Jr.) will return the court this year after an injury sidelined her in the 2022 season, while
Victoria Wood (Sr.),
Anna Law (Sr.), and
Kelise Twyner (Sr.) finalize the senior class.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Alleigh Johnson: Team leader in kills in 2022 (316)
- Career-high 25 kills in first Queens ASUN Division I victory on October 15, 2022
Jesse George: 2022 Team -leader in digs (394)
- Ranked 12th in the ASUN in the category
Anna Law: 2022 Team leader in blocks (53)
- Arguably Queens most versatile player, Law finished the 2022 season with 106 kills and 22 digs
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: USC Upstate
2022 Season: 6-23, 3-13 in the Big South Conference. Ended the season on an 11 game losing streak.
- Coming off a disappointing season which saw the Spartans win 6 matches against 23 losses — including a 3-13 mark in the Big South — USC Upstate made a 2023 revamp at the helm of the program. Ally Skayhan will take the reins as the Spartans' head coach, most recently coming from a four-season associate head coaching stint at Wofford.
- Skayhan inherits a seasoned roster with 16 returning players, including all six starters from a year ago, led by a dynamic duo in the middle in senior Nikki Deslatte and sophomore Ady O'Grady. The two middle blockers combined for 171 blocks, good for almost two blocks per set.
- In addition to the blockers, the Spartans also return all of their other statistical leaders from the 2022 season. Kills-leader Ashleigh Nicoll, assists-leader Emma McElveen, and digs-leader Julia Gladhill all return to bolster the Spartan lineup.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: Morehead State
2022 Season: 14-16, 10-8 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Season ended with a 1st round loss to Tennessee State in the 1st round of the OVC Tournament.
- Despite coming off a season that was under .500 overall, the Eagles had a solid showing in the Ohio Valley Conference — earning a berth in the conference tournament. Dr. Jamie Gordon, 20 years at the helm of the Eagles program, will be succeeded by first year head coach Kyrsten Becker-McBride, who has spent the last 12 seasons as a Morehead State assistant coach.
- The Eagles will be lead by the six-footers in the middle: Irene Wogenstahl and Sydney Wyman, both Preseason All-OVC honorees. The two middles combined for 433 kills and 167 blocks during the 2022 campaign. Joining the two in the middle will be two returning defensive specialists: Peyton Isley and Shea Hefner who will man the defensive back position and give the Eagles a couple of steady hands in the back row.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: Stonehill College
2022 Season: Inaugural season in Division I, 3-27, 1-13 in the Northeast Conference
- After enjoying tremendous success in their final season in Division II, Stonehill bumped up to the Division I ranks for the first time for the 2022 season. Understandably, the Skyhawks found the sledding a little more difficult in their inaugural season in the Northeast Conference — but with a year under their belt, Head Coach Craig Martin looks for his squad to improve.
- The Skyhawks return 14 players from a year ago while welcoming 9 new faces for a robust squad size of 23.
- Coach Martin will have the luxury of his top 5 scorers returning to the Stonehill lineup. Outside hitters Mia Berardino, Jentry Allen, Emma Graves as well as Lauren McCloskey and Kaitlyn Watson in the middle will carry much of the offensive load. On the defensive side, Kristen DeLorenzo, team leader with 355 digs along with Skylar Hanley will man the all-important back row positions. Lastly, Delaney Mihelich who shared setter duties a year ago returns as the likely leader of the offense.
Be sure to follow the Queens Women's Volleyball team on Twitter and Facebook to get the latest news and updates. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok to keep up with all the Royals in action.
#RoyalsRise | #QUeenCity | #CLT
