GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team begins its 24-match campaign with a pair of home tournaments, broken up by a single conference match.
Second-year head coach Hannah Barrett will have a roster of 27, looking to add another SAC championship to the program's trophy case. Barrett retains eight from last year's squad, adding three mid-year transfers in the spring. She brings in an additional 11 freshmen and five transfers for the fall. Her inaugural team went 13-14 (11-7 SAC), advancing to the SAC quarterfinals.
THIS WEEK
The Pioneer Classic will be a three-day event, running September 4-6, and will feature six teams including Tusculum. Over the stint, TU will face Auburn-Montgomery, Converse, Lee, and Edinboro, with King also participating in the tournament.
AUM is a fairly new program in the college ranks, with its first season of competition coming in 2017. The Warhawks and Pioneers will have their first-ever meeting this fall. AUM went 10-19 overall and 7-13 in Gulf South Conference action. In 2023, the Warhawks went 24-9 before falling in the GSC semifinals.
The Valkyries are coming off of their best season in program history. Converse won the Conference Carolinas tournament, earned a berth to the NCAA tournament, and finished with a 23-10 record, all of which were best finishes for the program. Tusculum leads the series over Converse 8-4, but the squads have not faced off since 2013.
The Flames went 19-16 (11-9 GSC) last fall, culminating with a loss in the conference semifinals. That was the deepest Lee has ever gone in the Gulf South tournament. Lee has the advantage in the series over Tusculum by a 16-6 margin, dating back to 1988.
Edinboro will make its first trip to Greeneville for the tournament. TU and EU have only seen each other once, back in 2003, with the Fighting Scots sweeping the match. Edinboro went 14-13 and 5-9 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
STREAMING/TICKETS
Links to live stats, video, and tickets for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.
Get ready for the 2025 SAC women's volleyball season and sign up for FloSports today. Be sure to sign-up here (flosports.tv/SAC) to receive special promotional pricing available only to fans of the SAC and its member institutions. Additionally, those who use a .edu email from a SAC member institution will be able to sign up at a discounted subscription price.
Tusculum University Athletics has a partnership with HomeTown Ticketing as the official digital ticketing provider for Pioneer home athletics events. Working with HomeTown Ticketing gives fans the ability to purchase tickets for TU home athletic events online for a touchless ticketing experience. Fans may purchase tickets online for TU home athletic events at www.TusculumPioneers.com/tickets.
Hometown Ticketing allows fans to print tickets at home or use mobile entry tickets at the gate. Tickets purchased at home are easily shared with friends and family.
Current Pioneer Club members may continue to use their membership cards to be granted admission for ticketed home athletic events.
For information about tickets, please contact Assistant Athletic Director Jenna Biggins at jbiggins@tusculum.edu. For information about becoming a member of the Pioneer Club, please reach out to Rasmus Nylander at rnylander@tusculum.edu or (423) 636-7331.
MEET THE TEAM
Last month, the SAC preseason poll was announced with three Pioneers making the Players to Watch list: Addison McLarty, Jaida Alvin, and Breana Pelbath.
McLarty, an outside hitter from Acworth, Georgia, had an outstanding freshman campaign for the Pioneers. She already ranks second in program history in career attempts per set (9.95) and sixth in kills per set (2.82). McLarty was named the SAC All-Freshman Team and the TU Female Freshman Athlete of the Year. She played in all 27 matches in 2024, recording a team-best 265 kills with eight assists, six service aces, 103 digs, and 28 total blocks. The team MVP tallied at least one kill and at least one dig in all 27 matches, reaching double-digit kills 15 times. McLarty had match-bests of 20 kills (twice), two assists (twice), two aces, nine digs, and four blocks.
Alvin, an outside hitter from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, comes to Tusculum after two seasons at West Alabama. At her previous stop, Alvin totaled 428 kills, 42 assists, 70 service aces, 406 digs, and 43 blocks for the Tigers across 60 matches. She had highs of 15 kills, three assists, four aces, 18 digs, and three blocks.
Pelbath, a middle blocker from Lampasas, Texas, spent two years at region foe Lander. After redshirting as a freshman, Pelbath aided the Bearcats' run to the region final in 2024. She totaled 64 kills, five assists, 12 digs, and 29 total blocks. Pelbath had highs of nine kills, five assists, three digs, and four blocks.
Coming alongside the trio are an additional seven returners and the remaining mid-year transfer.
Isabella Bianchin (Matthews, N.C.) has not seen action since 2022, but is healthy ahead of the 2025 campaign. The middle blocker has spent the past two seasons coaching and cheering on her teammates from the sideline.
Kelstin Burnette (South Pittsburg, Tenn.) did not play in her first collegiate season as a right side hitter.
Madison O'Sullivan (Ormond Beach, Fla.) did not play last season due to injury after enrolling in the spring semester. The senior setter ranks in the top-five in Polk State's career assists chart with 1,108 (7.44 per set). In her time for the Eagles, O'Sullivan competed in 149 sets across 44 matches with 43 kills, 30 aces, 312 digs, and 20 total blocks, in addition to her assist total. She also earned all-conference honors as a sophomore. She had match-highs of four kills, 50 assists, four aces, 18 digs, and three blocks.
Karris Oller (Thornton, Colo.) came on toward the end of last season as a middle blocker. As a freshman, she recorded 59 kills, one assist, one ace, 21 digs, and 18 total blocks. Oller had match highs of 11 kills (twice), five digs, and four block assists.
Jordyn Roderick, a hometown product, played in 15 matches during her sophomore campaign as an outside/right side hitter. She registered 51 kills, 22 digs, and two block assists, with highs of 13 kills, and six digs.
Taylor Sanders (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) had a career year in 2024. The senior defensive specialist played in 25 matches, recording five kills, 38 assists, 22 aces, 277 digs, and two block assists. Sanders landed an ace in five-straight matches to begin the season, while reaching double-digit digs 12 times. She had match-best of four kills, six assists, three aces, 21 digs, and two block assists.
Marli Watkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) redshirted her first season in Greeneville after spending a year at SAC foe Emory & Henry. The right side hitter will seek out her TU debut in 2025.
Karlie Russell (Monroe, N.C.) was the final mid-year enrollee on Barrett's roster. The defensive specialist spent two seasons at Cleveland County Community College, tallying 16 kills, 34 assists, 341 digs, and seven total blocks for the Yetis. Russell had match highs of four kills, six assists, 16 digs, five aces, and four blocks.
New to Tusculum, but not college volleyball, are five transfers: Addison Alvis, Laney Craig, McKenna Crawford, Madalyn Mavady, and Solene Roussel.
Alvis (Okotoks, Alberta) joins the Pioneers after one season at DIII North Park. The 6-0 right side hitter was a member of the team that began 8-0 to reach No. 12 in the national poll. Alvis played in four sets across four matches, recording one kill.
Craig (Hickory, N.C.) played two seasons at Caldwell Tech as a 5-7 outside hitter. She was named a first team All-American in 2023, racking up national all-tournament team honors and region Player of the Year. In 46 matches, Craig totaled 664 kills, 10 assists, 64 aces, 290 digs, and 51 block assists at the junior college. She had match highs of 32 kills, 19 digs, six aces, three block assists (three times).
Crawford (Decatur, Ill.) spent two years at McKendree as a 5-6 defensive specialist. She played in nine sets across five matches in 2023, with highs of one ace and two digs.
Mavady (Las Vegas, Nev.) is on her third stop, having spent time at Purdue Northwest and Western New Mexico. The 5-10 setter has racked up 33 kills, 54 digs, 87 assists, two service aces, and eight block assists, while also spending time as an outside hitter. Mavady has match highs of nine kills, 13 assists, nine digs, and two block assists.
Roussel (Moëlan-sur-Mer, France) played the past two seasons at Roane State Community College as a 5-11 right side hitter/setter. She was named first team all-conference last year for her efforts. Roussel totaled 363 kills, 311 assists, 44 service aces, 367 digs, and 64 total blocks at the junior college level, with highs of 19 kills, 41 assists, four aces (four times), 19 digs (twice), and four total blocks (twice).
Eleven (11) freshmen will vie for playing time in their first season at the collegiate level.
Victoria Church graduated with honors from Lipscomb Academy in her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. The 5-6 setter played five years of varsity, reaching 2,000 assists and 500 digs in her career. Church racked up all-tournament honors as a freshman, two all-region laurels, and MVP and all-state as a senior. She also won a region and state championship in high school. Church also played for Alliance Volleyball Club.
Mary Katherine Hall (Nashville, Tenn.) also graduated from Lipscomb Academy, racked up three all-region selections as a 5-6 defensive specialist. The 2023 region MVP was a two-time all-state and all-midstate choice. Hall was a member of the 2024 region and state championship squad. She played for Alliance Volleyball Club as well.
Maggie Kane is a 5-3 defensive specialist from Lebanon, Tennessee. She graduated from Friendship Christian School and earned all-district honors as a senior. Kane also played for C2 Attack.
Mackenzie Land (Greenfield, Ind.) graduated from Cathedral High School, where she was a two-time sectional champion. The 5-8 outside hitter also played club volleyball for Rage.
Abby Larson (Charlestown, Ind.) graduated from Silver Creek High School as a 6-2 right side hitter. She was a three-time conference champion, while adding two section and region titles. Larson was a three-year member of the ISHAA Watch List, totaling 385 kills, 56 blocks, 115 digs, 19 service aces across three seasons. She also played for KIVA, where she was named a 2023 AAU All-American.
Adreana Lee is a 6-0 outside/right side hitter from Pride, Louisiana. She lettered four seasons at Central High School, where she was a three-time first team all-district selection. Lee also garnered three all-metro laurels and broke the single-match record with 10 blocks. In the club realm, she played for Red Storm Volleyball.
Eliza Jewell Oliverius (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) graduated from Lucy G. Beckham High School, where she was a 6-1 middle blocker. She earned all-tournament honors at a pair of in-season events. As a senior, Oliverius tallied 111 kills on a .306 hitting percentage with 66 blocks and 53 aces to finish third in hitting and first in blocks across the 5A region. She also played for SC Elite.
Sadie Roach lettered in volleyball and track at Maryville High School. The 5-6 setter/defensive specialist earned a pair of region and county all-tournament honors. Roach also collected district all-tournament and Setter of the Year honors in 2023. She racked up three district, region, and sub-state championships. Roach also played for K2 18 Red Backs.
Mia Wave-Nelson (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) was a 5-7 defensive specialist at Lucy G. Beckham High School. She was a three-time all-region selection and was named to the JVA Watchlist four times. Wave-Nelson was a member of back-to-back region championships. She also played for SC Elite.
Addison Winton lettered three seasons at Gibbs High School in her hometown of Corryton, Tennessee. She was the district's Server of the Year as a junior before racking up all-district first team, all-region tournament team, all-state, and 5StarPreps second team in her final year. Winton garnered two GHS Offensive Player of the Year awards, alongside region and stub-state championships. In her career, the 5-5 defensive specialist totaled 156 aces, 502 digs, and 1,112 assists across 230 sets. Winton also played for K2 Volleyball Club, where she went 46-14 with the 18A Redbacks in 2025.
Grace VanZwieten (Boca Raton, Fla.) was a three-sport athlete at Boca Raton Christian School, lettering in volleyball, beach volleyball, and basketball. The 6-0 outside hitter was a three-time state runner-up. VanZwieten also played for Tribe Volleyball.
