VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State volleyball team opens its 2025 campaign at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 5 versus No. 14 Grand Valley State Lakers (Mich.) in the Colorado School of Mines Oredigger Classic. The Blazers will play four games in the classic with two on Friday and two on Saturday.
VSU's full schedule for the Oredigger Classic is listed below:
· Valdosta State vs. No.14 Grand Valley State: Sept. 5 at 4 p.m. ET
· Valdosta State at Colorado School of Mines: Sept. 5th at 8 p.m. ET
· Valdosta State vs. Colorado Christian: Sept. 6th at 12 p.m. ET
· Valdosta State vs. No. 22 Washburn: Sept. 6th at 4 p.m. ET
Live stat links and streaming options available throughout the tournament on vstateblazers.com on the volleyball schedule page and in the Blazer Athletics Mobile App. Click here for the Oredigger Volleyball Classic Tournament webpage to see the full tournament schedule.
Blazer eighth-year head coach Kaleigh Zoucha welcomes back a strong group of returning players from 2024, when the unit finished 19-12 and 13-7 in GSC play. Senior Katie Callenberger returns after recording 223 kills last season, while senior Ava Young posted 64 blocks and 67 kills in 2024. A third key senior, Sabrina Oncins, registered 84 kills and 152 digs last season. Sophomore setter Avery Mullins started 12 of her 28 games in 2024, registering 474 assists, adding 179 digs in the process. Kennedy Hairston, Hailey Holder, Mia Verger, and Ava Keuntjes round out the group of returning Blazers.
A mix of new players also join the fold in 2025, including GSC Newcomer Watchlist members Macy Brown and Eimy Negron Domenech. Outside hitter Macy Brown transfers to Valdosta State as a graduate student. She is coming off a strong career at New Haven, where she won NE-10 Player of the Year and NE-10 Championship MVP honors. Eimy Negron Domenech transfers to Titletown as a junior after registering 985 digs, 223 assists, and 77 aces over two seasons at Hillsborough CC.
Sophomore outside hitter Eva LaRochelle, Junior outside hitter Asia Montagnani and Graduate setter Ashton Middleton join the group of transfers. LaRochelle recorded six matches with double-digit kills during her freshman year at Seattle Pacific. Middleton joins the Blazers after two seasons at Lee University and one at Berry College where she has compiled 1367 assists and 465 digs. Last season at Northeastern Junior College, Montagnani recorded 39 kills. Other new faces include outside hitter Kinsley Timmons and middle Madison Kilmer, who are set to join the Blazers as true freshman in 2025.
VSU opens the Oredigger Volleyball Classic with Grand Valley State (Mich.), who enters the season ranked No. 14 nationally. The Lakers are coming off of an impressive 28-4 campaign with their 2024 leaders in kills, aces, and blocks all set to return for Coach Jason Johnson in 2025. GVSU placed first in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll and outside hitter Kendall Stover was named to the All-GLIAC Preseason First-Team. Junior Paige Sanders and Senior Meghan O'Sullivan were named to the Second-Team, while Junior Brianna Stawski earned Honorable Mention honors.
The Blazers will turn their focus to the hosts for the weekend in Colorado School of Mines Orediggers for Friday's nightcap. CSM's Jamie Magalei returns for her 18th season at the helm and 19th season with the program. Magalei boasts an impressive 372-156 record during her tenure as head coach, though the Orediggers are coming off of a 9-17 mark in 2024. Mines prepares to welcome seven new faces to the roster in 2025.
The action continues at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday when the Blazers take on Colorado Christian. Coach Bobby Blanken's Cougars enter the season ranked third in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. They are led by Senior middle blocker Renee Phillips who was named to the Preseason All-RMAC Team after earning Second-Team All-RMAC honors in 2024.
VSU's weekend in Golden, Colo. concludes with a 4 p.m. ET matchup against another nationally ranked opponent in the No. 22 Washburn Ichabods. Coach Chris Herron enters his 24th season at Washburn as a six-time MIAA champion. The Ichabods are coming off a 21-8 record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Central Region Championships. Senior middle hitter Alex Dvorak leads the returning Ichabods following an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention honor and .364 hitting percentage in 2024. Corinna McMullen and Taylor Rottinghaus earned All-MIAA Second-Team honors in 2024, while Austin Broadie and Bella Limback earned Honorable Mention honors.
Following the tournament, the Blazers return home to host the VSU Fall Tournament Sept. 12-13 in The Complex. VSU will face Shorter, Palm Beach Atlantic and Georgia College in the two-day tournament.
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