FLORENCE, Ala. (August 8, 2024) – After 266 days away from the courts, the University of North Alabama volleyball team returned to CB&S Bank Arena in Flowers Hall for their first official practice of the 2024 season.
The Lions return to action for the upcoming season looking to build upon their best season to date in the Division I era. The 2023 campaign resulted in a Division I program record 17 wins and a trip to the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament for the first time. Third-year head coach Tristan Johnson will look to lead the Lions to even greater heights in 2024.
"Great first start to the morning session and got a lot of great reps," said Johnson. "There's a lot of excitement when you've got eight freshmen and one transfer that are new to the program, but there's also a lot of teaching and learning that comes with it. To get back to what we had last year and have an even better season this year, we have to take it one day at a time and put in the work to get everything on the right page."
Veteran Presence
UNA will head into the season returning seven players from 2023, with six players starting in at least three matches while seeing action in at least 12.
Seniors Katy Floyd, Elif Ozsoy and Brenna Tietz will lead the charge for the Lions after solid contributions from the 2023 season. Tietz and Floyd will look to lead the attack after 2023 saw them finish second and third on the team with 200 and 199 kills, respectively. Ozsoy will look to hold down the setter spot after dishing out 338 assists to finish second on the team.
Junior Hayley Martin and sophomores Olivia Fenoff, Nicole Sargent and Meredith Brown also return to the team and look to make an impact as returners this season. Martin had 113 kills and a career-high 25 blocks last season, while Sargent added 90 kills and 29 blocks and Fenoff contributed 67 kills.
In total, the Lions return 47 percent of their contributions from last season.
New Faces, New Places
North Alabama will feature nine new faces playing in Florence this season, headlined by eight freshman and one transfer.
The lone transfer from the incoming class, graduate student Jasmine Brooks, will look to make her season with the Lions a special one after transferring from Tennessee. The Toney, Ala. native played for the Volunteers from 2020-23, appearing in 55 matches and 260 sets with totals of 295 kills and 60 blocks.
With the season now officially underway, the Lions' first action of the 2024 season comes on August 24 against Ole Miss in an exhibition match.
Following the match against the Rebels, the season will kick off August 30 at the War Eagle Invitational. The Lions open the regular season with matchups against Auburn and Wofford before ending the invitational against Georgia Southern.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
