Arkansas Volleyball eyes postseason with deep, talented roster

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Coming off a season that ended with a bid to the NIVC and a loss to UNLV, the Arkansas volleyball group is poised for a run at a NCAA bid. Displaying indicators of a promising 12 months they took fifth ranked Kentucky to five units in each matches earlier than falling 3-2 every time. Arkansas is picked to complete 4th within the SEC has one of many deepest rosters in Coach Watson’s 7 years in Fayetteville . They’ve a balanced combination of returning starters together with three transfers and two extremely touted freshman.

Graduate senior Gracie Ryan is trying ahead to her final season at Arkansas. Ryan, out of Orlando, Florida is transferring up the all-time help leaders at fifth and solely wants 749 from ending within the prime three. Gracie was named SEC Setter of the week after recording 50 plus assists twice that week in addition to three straight double doubles and recorded six blocks within the Tulsa Match.

One other returning starter and All-SEC performer is senior Jillian Gillen. Gillen is the lone Razorback on the All SEC Preseason group. She Led the Hogs with 4.12 kills per set which ranked her second within the SEC. With 1,261 kills Jillian joins 17 others within the 1,000 kill membership and at the moment sits at thirteenth all time. Alongside together with her All-SEC choice she was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the 12 months for the second 12 months in a row.

Senior Maggie Cartwright out of Kimberly, Wisconsin is the ace queen for Arkansas main the way in which with 43 final season and led the group with service aces per set which was good for third within the SEC. Cartwright additionally added 273 kills, a season excessive for her in addition to 300 digs on the 12 months.

Sophomore Taylor Head began each match final season and completed second on the group in kills and kills per set. The 5-10 Junior from Winter Backyard, Florida has been an enormous presence since she stepped foot on campus and set or matched profession marks in 9 totally different classes final season together with 13 double doubles final season. Was named the MVP of the Bobcat Match recording 40 kills and seven aces.

The incoming Freshmen embody Kylie Weeks, a 5-9 outdoors hitter/libero from Elkhorn, Nebraska. Weeks gained a state championship in 2020 and was named All State in addition to a prime 10 prospect in her state. Avery Calame, a 5-11 outdoors hitter from Plano, Texas surpassed 1,000 digs for McKinney-Boyd HS and was named to the 2021 AVCA All-America Watch Checklist. Lastly Skylar Ellison , a 6-1 center blocker from Aledo, Texas had 161 kills and 11 aces in her senior season.

Arkansas has some key transfers in with Tatum Shipes Shipes, a 6’4 center blocker, involves Fayetteville as a graduate switch by means of Auburn, the place she performed for the Tigers for the previous 4 seasons. Shipes performed her first collegiate season as a center in 2021 and was one of many SEC’s finest defensive gamers. She began each match for Auburn and ranked prime within the convention for complete blocks (142) and blocks per set (1.42), which additionally got here in at twenty first and sixth within the nation. Each metrics are new Auburn single season program data within the rally scoring period, together with the highest spot in block assists with 120.

Additionally coming to Fayetteville is hometown Sophmore Rosanna Hicks. Hicks Rosana Hicks is a hometown product who graduated from Fayetteville Excessive College in 2021. A 6’1 pin hitter, Hicks is a former All-Arkansas Preps Participant of the 12 months and had a superb profession with the Bulldogs. Over the course of 4 seasons, she amassed 1,250 kills at FHS and registered a .325 hitting share.Hicks led the Bulldogs in kills in every season. She was a three-time All-6A West Convention choice, an AVCA All-Area Workforce choice. She joins the Razorbacks as a sophomore