Season Preview: 2021 Volleyball

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (August 16, 2021) – The Milligan University volleyball team continues its pursuit of the program's first Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) championship after finishing as the AAC Tournament runner up and reaching the NAIA National Championship for the third straight season in 2020-21.

Visual Preview | Coach Bays Preseason Interview

The Buffs begin the 2021 season in Florida at the Keiser University Tournament on Wednesday.

2020-21 Season Review: The Buffs' finished over .500 in Appalachian Athletic Conference play for the twelfth consecutive year. The 2020-21 regular season was highlighted by a nine-game winning streak.

Milligan entered the AAC Tournament as the No. 5 seed. To have an opportunity to earn a trip to the NAIA Volleyball National Championship, the Buffs had to reach the AAC championship game.

In the AAC Tournament, the Buffs' defeated fourth seeded Union in four sets in the AAC quarterfinals. With a spot in the NAIA National Championship on the line, Milligan dispatched Point in five sets to set up a Milligan-Reinhart AAC tournament final for the third straight year. The Eagles claimed their third straight AAC tournament title with a 3-1 victory.

Milligan traveled to St. Louis (Mo.) for the NAIA Opening Round and fell in three sets to the eventual NAIA national champion, Missouri Baptist.

The Buffs bid farewell to a four-player senior class of Julia Codispoti, Mackenzie Simpson, Abby Falcone and Sydney Hurd.

2021 AAC Preseason Poll: The Milligan volleyball team was one of four schools to receive at first-place vote in the 2021 AAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Buffs were picked third behind defending AAC Tournament champion Reinhardt and AAC regular season champion Bryan.

The 2021 AAC Volleyball Preseason Poll
Team (1st-Place Votes) - Total Points
1. Reinhardt (11) - 217
2. Bryan (2) - 206
3. Milligan (1) - 183
4. Columbia International - 172
5. Truett McConnell - 169
6. Union (1) - 168
7. Point - 133
8. Bluefield - 130
9. St. Andrews - 90
10. Montreat - 86
11. Tennessee Wesleyan - 70
12. Brenau - 65
13. Johnson - 56
14. Columbia - 35
15. Kentucky Christian - 20

The AAC is divided in two divisions with eight North Division Teams and seven South Division squads. Milligan plays in the North Division alongside Bluefield, Bryan, Johnson, Kentucky Christian, Montreat, Tennessee Wesleyan and Union.

Key Returners: With the graduation of several contributors, including Codispoti and Hurd, the Buffs have openings in their starting lineup at the middle blocker, setter and right side spots in fall 2021.

Senior outside hitter Carley Gregory returns after leading the AAC in total kills (362) and finished third in the conference with 3.62 kills per set. Nationally, she finished No. 17 in total kills and was 46th in kills per set. She posted a .207 hitting percentage on over nine attacks per set and recorded 26 total blocks.

Milligan's most decorated player last season, C. Gregory reeled in All-AAC First Team and AVCA All-Region honors in 2020-21. In just two seasons with the Buffs, she's recorded 752 kills and led the roster in kills in 2019 and 2020-21.

Senior libero Layla Grant returns as a multi-year starter after leading the Buffs in digs each of the last two seasons. Grant ranked sixth in the AAC with 4.37 digs per set and finished No. 35 in the NAIA with 463 total digs in 2020-21.

Grant also led the Buffs with 420 successful serve receives and posted a career best .940 serve receive percentage.

Senior defensive specialist Cameron McConnell joins Grant as a multi-year back row starter in fall 2021. She finished second on the roster in digs per set (2.86) and serve receives per set (3.22) in 2020-21.

McConnell was named to the AAC All-Tournament Team after posting a career high 23 digs in a four-set win over Union in the AAC quarterfinals. In the AAC Tournament, McConnell posted 4.08 digs per set with a pair of service aces.

Senior Elise Gregory brings consistency and versatility to Milligan's roster. A key six-rotation player for Milligan's 2018 team that reached the NAIA National Championship final site, E. Gregory battled and overcame injuries to remain a contributor to Milligan's success in the last two seasons.

Junior outside hitter Sarah Grace Larkey ranks second among returners with 1.57 kills per set last season. A strong March in which Larkey posted 1.91 kills per set with a .145 hitting percentage over nine matches highlighted her sophomore season. She logged double-digit kills in wins over Union and Point in the AAC Tournament.

Despite graduation of standout middle blocker Julia Codispoti, Milligan has a number of options at middle blocker for 2021.

Senior middle blocker Abigail Byington joined the Buffs from UVA-Wise last season and posted a productive first season in the orange and black. She finished fourth on the team with 1.44 kills per set with a .206 hitting percentage. At the net, Byington was second on the roster with 43 blocks (0.57 blocks per set).

Senior Jericka Emert smacked 60 kills in 61 sets with a .148 hitting percentage and 19 total blocks. She can contribute in the middle and on Buff's right side this fall.

Sophomore Taylor Pavich served as a setter and right side in her debut season with the Buffs. Pavich finished second on the team in assists (379) and tied for second on the roster with 43 total blocks. In fall 2021, Pavich looks to make an impact along the front row in a full time capacity.

Junior defensive specialist Paxton Adkins finished third on the roster with 2.53 digs per set and 3.16 serve receives per set last year.

Sophomore middle Greyson Stevens was productive in limited action due to injury in her debut season. She post 59 kills, 24 blocks and a .239 hitting percentage in 58 sets last year.

Junior setter/defensive specialist Ashelyn Vandergriff logged 2.06 digs per set over 48 sets last year.

Newcomers: The Buffs add three freshman and one transfer into the fold in fall 2021.

Junior Hannah Daniel transfers to Milligan after spending two seasons at Walters State. While a Senator, Daniel recorded 1.41 kills per set with a .114 hitting percentage over 139 sets. In 2020-21, Walters State made the NJCAA DII National Volleyball Tournament for the first time in program history.

Ella Maiden joins the program after an outstanding prep career at Patrick Henry High School (Va.). A two-time All-State volleyball player and five-time Virginia state champion in five different events in track and field, Maiden looks to bolster the Buffs' middle blocks with an immediate impact.

Expected to make an immediate impact is setter Kolbie Greene. She keyed The King's Academy to back-to-back state championship tournaments and the program's first-ever win in the state bracket in 2020.

Colorado native Bailey Qualls attended Pikes Peak Christian and her athleticism will add depth and versatility to Milligan's roster.

Looking at the Schedule: After a 2020-21 regular season schedule that featured just four matches against nonconference opponents, the fall 2021 schedule marks a relative return to normalcy in terms of nonconference play to begin the year.

Milligan has nine nonconference games scheduled before the AAC opener on Sept. 9. The Buffs head to Keiser University in Florida to open the season on August 18-19. The Buffs are set to take on Indiana East, Pacific Union, Keiser and Southeastern (Fla.). Keiser enters the 2021 season ranked No. 20 in the NAIA Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Top 25.

The Buffs welcome seven teams to eastern Tennessee for Milligan Mountain Madness on August 27-28. Milligan will square off with Fisk, Tennessee Southern, Cumberlands and Blue Mountain.

Milligan's final tune-up before AAC play is a trip to Emory & Henry on Sept. 6.

The Buffs will play north division opponents Bluefield, Union, Montreat, Bryan, Johnson (Tenn.), Kentucky Christian and Tennessee Wesleyan twice in home-and-home series. Milligan rounds out its conference schedule with seven games against south division foes for a 21-game regular season schedule.

The Buffs open AAC play on Sept. 9 against Bluefield in the Steve Lacey Fieldhouse.

Milligan travels to 2020-21 AAC regular season champion Bryan on Sept. 28 and hosts the Lions on Oct. 12. The Buffs take on three-time defending AAC Tournament champs Reinhart on Oct. 29.

The regular season concludes on Nov. 2 against Tennessee Wesleyan.

The AAC's postseason tournament takes place at the Meadowview Marriot Resort & Conference Center in Kingsport. The seeding is based on a point season since the league is split into two divisions and teams play an unbalanced schedule, facing teams in their division twice and teams from the other division once. One point is given for a win against a team in the other division, while a half point is award for a victory versus a team within division.

Played in November, the AAC Tournament features play-in games, quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game.

With 15 volleyball-playing institutions, the AAC has three bids to the NAIA National Championship tournament. The regular season champion and runner up each receive an automatic NAIA berth. The tournament champion will receive the third bid if it is not either of the top two seeds. If one of the top seeds wins the tournament, the runner up earns the bid. If the top seed and the second seed meet in the tournament final, the winner of the third place game will receive the third bid.

Last Word: "I'm excited for this recruiting class to being their journey at Milligan," said head coach Doneva Bays. "I'm extremely happy with the foundation we have for our program and the direction we are headed as a university and volleyball program. I'm looking forward to a fun, competitive season!"