Season Preview: 2023 Volleyball

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (August 17, 2023) – The Milligan University volleyball team looks to compete for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) title and NAIA postseason appearance in the 2023 season.

Visual Preview

The Buffs begin their campaign against Coastal Georgia and No.12 Taylor in the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse on Friday, Aug. 25 at Milligan Mountain Madness.

2022 Season Review: The Buffs turned in their winningest season since 2019 as Milligan posted an 18-13 overall record and a 14-7 mark in AAC action to finish fifth in the 16-team conference standings. For the 14th-striaght year under head coach Doneva Bays, the Buffs finished with a winning record in league play.

Milligan was one of five teams to notch a conference winning percentage over .600 (.667) and finished 2.5 games ahead of sixth-place Truett McConnell in the standings. Milligan boasted an 8-6 home schedule and 7-4 away mark.

The Buffs fell to fourth-seeded Reinhardt in four sets in the AAC Tournament quarterfinals.

"We had a good season," said Bays. "However, I feel like we underperformed a little bit. We had more potential that I don't think we quite reached."

Milligan bid farewell to 2023 graduates, outside hitter Sarah Grace Larkey and libero Paxton Adkins.

2023 Preseason Poll: The Buffs were picked fifth in the 15-team AAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

"I feel like that's a great starting point for us," said Bays. "Definitely anticipate that we're going to finish higher than five. I'm hoping that at the end of 21 conference games, we'll be competing for that No. 1 spot."

AAC Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll
School (First-Place Vote) - Total Voting Points
1. Columbia International (11) - 199
2. Bryan (2) - 191
3. Reinhardt (1) - 184
4. Bluefield - 158
5. Milligan - 155
6. Brenau - 137
7. Truett McConnell - 134
8. Union - 111
9. Johnson - 96
10. St. Andrews - 81
11. Montreat - 74
12. Kentucky Christian - 57
13. Pikeville - 49
14. Tennessee Wesleyan - 40
15. Columbia - 14

Key Returners: A trio of all-conference performers highlight Milligan's returners.

Junior middle blocker Ella Maiden earned NAIA All-America Honorable Mention honors, in addition to AVCA All-Northeast Region and All-Appalachian Athletic Conference First Team laurels in 2022. Maiden led the Buffs and finished second in the AAC with 136 total blocks (1.16 blocks per set). Maiden was second in the nation in solo blocks (60) and 21st in blocks per set.

"Great athlete, big jumper and a fun player to watch," said Bays. "She had a phenomenal sophomore season coming off a good freshman season. We look for her to do big things."

Maiden placed second on the roster last fall with 290 kills (2.60 skills per set) with 18 outings with double-digit kills. She ranked third in the AAC and in the top 40 nationally with a .340 hitting percentage.

Junior setter Kolbie Greene is back after an All-AAC First Team campaign in 2022. Greene ranked fourth in the AAC with 1,036 assists and was ninth in the conference with 44 service aces. She also finished 20th in digs per set (3.32) and finished the year with 35 total blocks.

"Kolbie has worked extremely hard," said Bays. "I never have to question her, work ethic. She's always going to give me a hundred percent."

Greene eclipsed the 40-assist mark in five four-set matches and one three-set match. She accounted for a career-high 16.5 points against Rio Grande as she had six kills, nine aces and three blocks, in addition to 30 assists and nine digs.

Sophomore outside hitter Shelby Miller led Milligan with 335 kills and ranked 11th in the AAC at 2.91 kills per set. An All-AAC Second Team honoree, she posted a .183 hitting percentage, 52 total blocks and 30 service aces. Miller posted double-digit kills in 16 matches, including 12 of the Buffs' final 14 regular season contests.

"I think [Shelby] will have a much better year this year than she did even as a freshman," said Bays. "She's getting better and more consistent, adding more tools to her shot selection."

Senior middle blocker Greyson Stevens turned in her most productive season as a Buff last fall. She set career highs in sets played (113), kills per set (1.46) and total blocks (79). Stevens ranked seventh in the AAC in solo blocks (24) and 15th in total blocks.

Senior right side Taylor Pavich returns as a versatile player who ranked in the Buffs' top five in kills per set (1.51), service aces (27) and service receptions (204) last fall. She has racked up more than 1,000 assists and 126 total blocks in her first three seasons at Milligan.

Sophomore Riley Brinn averaged 1.75 digs per set and was second on the roster with 359 receptions as a freshman last fall. She added 61 kills and 17 total blocks.

Senior defensive specialist Hannah Holmes appeared in 115 of a possible 117 sets last season. She was third on the roster with 2.10 digs per set and third on the team with 294 receptions last fall.

Sophomore defensive specialist Grace Sanderson appeared in every match in her freshman campaign and notched 1.60 digs per set and finished fourth on the roster with 246 service receptions.

Junior Bailey Qualls (34 sets) and sophomores Kira Ryan (24 sets) and Kylie Haas (17) logged time in double-digit matches last fall.

Newcomers: The Buffs add four newcomers in the form of one transfer and three freshmen.

Junior defensive specialist Zoie Larkins enrolled at Milligan in the spring 2023 semester from Francis Marion University. At FMU, Larkins appeared in 224 sets and racked up 860 digs in two seasons. She served as the Patriots' libero in the 2021 campaign in which LMU won the Conference Carolinas Tournament title and competed in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

"Zoie was with us all spring semester and she's made a huge difference," said Bays. "In our back row and our leadership back there, just giving us a sense of experience calmness. And i look for her to really make a difference and just our overall play as a whole

Freshmen Rachel Falin, Avery Maiden and Addison Varney join the squad this fall.

Looking at the Schedule: The Buffs begin the season by welcoming a competitive field to the newly renovated Steve Lacy Fieldhouse for Milligan Mountain Madness.

The Buffs head to Rio Grande for a Labor Day weekend tourney before a tri-match against Lees-McRae and King before kicking off AAC play at home against Union on Sept. 9.

The AAC plays a 21-game conference schedule with the top 10 teams advancing to the conference tournament. The conference has two automatic NAIA National Championship bids which go to the regular season and tournament champions.

Key conference dates include a pair of matchups with north division heavyweight Bryan on Sept. 26 at Bryan and Oct. 10 in the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse. The Buffs host defending AAC regular season and tournament champion CIU on Friday, Sept. 29.

The AAC Tournament is scheduled to be played Nov. 9-11 at the MeadowView Marriott in Kingsport.

Last Word: "This team, their work ethic and their grit so far in preseason," said Bays. "We've had some three-a-days. We've had poll workouts, we've had cycling workouts, we've had Pilates, we've had yoga, we've mixed it up and they're fighting every day and bringing their best to every practice."