Season Preview: 2024 Volleyball
MILLIGAN, Tenn. – The Milligan University volleyball squad will be angling, with great optimism, for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) title and NAIA postseason appearance in the 2024 season.
The Buffs begin their quest against Point (Ga.) and Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse on Friday, Aug. 23 as part of Milligan Mountain Madness.
2023 Season Review: The 2023 season concluded with the Milligan squad's most wins in a season since 2018, when the squad reached the 27-win mark. Their 26-7 overall record earned them the highest single-season winning percentage (.788) since the 2016 campaign (.795).
Milligan came away with a 19-2 conference record, managing to finish the regular season with a commanding second-place finish in the standings. The Buffs were 10-1 on their home floor in AAC play, while they matched that with a 9-1 road record.
The Buffs fell to third-seeded Bryan (Tenn.) in four sets in the 2023 AAC Tournament semifinals.
"I'm extremely happy with the season that we produced last season," said head coach Doneva Bays, "however our whole team was very disappointed in our last match. We are re-focused and are hopeful for a better finish."
Milligan bid adieu to a trio of 2024 graduates, defensive specialist Hannah Holmes, right side/setter Taylor Pavich and middle blocker Greyson Stevens. Stevens will be staying at Milligan as the new full-time assistant to Bays.
2024 Preseason Poll: The Buffs were picked second in the 15-team AAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
AAC Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll
School (First-Place Vote) Total Points
1. Columbia International (14) 224
2. Milligan (1) 207
3. Bryan 182
4. Reinhardt 178
5. Truett McConnell 165
6. Bluefield 150
7. Union 131
8. Montreat 100
9. Tie-Johnson 99
10. Tie-Brenau 99
11. Pikeville 82
12. St. Andrews 61
13. Tennessee Wesleyan 58
14. Columbia 50
15. Kentucky Christian 18
Key Returners: Each of Milligan's five All-AAC selections from 2023 are back in orange and black for the 2024 season.
After earning NAIA All-America Honorable Mention plaudits in 2022, Senior middle blocker Ella Maiden earned NAIA All-America Second Team honors in 2023, in addition to AVCA All-Northeast Region and All-Appalachian Athletic Conference First Team laurels in 2023. Maiden led the Buffs and the AAC with 143 total blocks (1.25 blocks per set). Maiden was tops in the nation in solo blocks (60), 10th in total blocks (143) and 10th in blocks per set.
"Obviously, we expect big things from Ella in her last collegiate season," declared Bays. "We are excited to see her continued improvement and success."
Maiden was atop the roster last fall with 356 kills (3.12 kills per set) with 20 occasions on which she reached double-digit kills. She ranked second in the AAC with a .358 hitting percentage.
Senior setter Kolbie Greene returns after an All-AAC First Team and AAC Setter of the Year campaign in 2023. Greene had the highest assist output in the AAC with 1,104 assists. She also finished 12th in digs with 371 and finished the year with 30 total blocks.
"Kolbie is one of the hardest working Buffs in our program's history and I expect nothing less from her this season. She continues to be a great leader for us on and off the court," stated Bays.
Greene exceeded the 40-assist mark in nine matches, while accounting for 52 assists in a five-set win at Johnson (Tenn.).
Junior outside hitter Shelby Miller was the second-most prolific attacker for Milligan with 336 kills and ranked 14th in the AAC at 3.00 kills per set. An All-AAC Second Team honoree, she posted a .220 hitting percentage and 35 total blocks. Miller posted double-digit kills in 21 tilts in 2023.
"I am excited to see how all these returners have improved their games and how they have matured in the game. Shelby will continue to give us lots of Power in the outside hitting position. We will also get great consistency in outsides Avery Maiden and Riley Brinn and we look for Zoie to continue to anchor our serve receive and defensive efforts," Bays added.
Senior libero Zoie Larkins was the team's leader in digs with 459 and carried a digs/set number of 3.96, both of which were among the top 10 in the conference. For her efforts, she earned All-AAC Second Team honors.
Sophomore Avery Maiden was third on the squad with 274 kills and was named to the conference's All-Freshman team. She sported the third-best kills/set number for the Buffs at 2.42.
Junior Riley Brinn obtained 307 pickups in her second year with Milligan. Meanwhile, she played in 115 sets, putting her at 2.67 digs/set, which placed her 25th in the AAC.
Newcomers: The Buffs add four newcomers in the form of one transfer and three freshmen.
RS/S Sierra Still (Gr, Greensboro, N.C.), MB Isabel Cameron (Fr, Colorado Springs, Colo.), OH/RS Bella Devoti (Fr, Greeneville, Tenn.) and S Faith Wilson (Fr, Kingsport, Tenn.) make up the list of new faces on the Milligan roster in 2024.
Looking at the Schedule: The Buffs start their campaign by welcoming seven opposing squads to Steve Lacy Fieldhouse for Milligan Mountain Madness on Aug. 23-24.
The Buffs head to the Labor Day Classic at Florida College in Temple Terrace, Fla. on Aug. 30-31.
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 the squad that eliminated the Buffs from the AAC Tournament last season, Bryan. They will play at home against the Lions on Oct. 1, while traveling to Dayton on Oct. 15. The Buffs will travel to 2023 AAC regular season and tournament champion CIU (S.C.) on Friday, Sept. 29.
The AAC Tournament is scheduled to be played Nov. 14-16 at the MeadowView Marriott in Kingsport.
Last Word: "I'm hopeful for this team to continue our program's success at a high level," Bays said. "We have the potential to match or exceed the success of last year's team. I believe our newcomers will add great depth to our roster in several positions. Excited to see how the season unfolds, we will continue to work hard and give God the glory!"