MEDFORD, MA (September 1, 2023) -- The Tufts University volleyball squad gets its 2023 season started on Tuesday night at home against Roger Williams University, and the expectations of another successful season have remained after a 2022 season that saw the Jumbos make the NCAA Regional Final.
The team has won 21 or more matches in each of the last three seasons, while the Jumbos have won 20 or more contests in five of the last six campaigns. Tufts has become a regional and national power, and the goals of winning another New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title are present once again.
Tufts has earned two of the last three NESCAC championships, while going 27-3 over that time span. Despite that, the squad enters this season in what some might call a transitional season.
The squad graduated a very successful senior class in 2022, a group that included All-Americans
Jennelle Yarwood,
Grace Legris and
Stephanie Lee among other key cogs. In need of replacements, eight-time NESCAC Coach of the Year
Cora Thompson brought in seven talented first-years to fill the void.
While Thompson expects the first-years to have a role in 2023, it has been apparent in preseason that some of the returners that didn't get as much playing time in 2022 are hungry and ready to put their mark on the Jumbo volleyball program.
With all of that being said, the Jumbos return five essential starters including both of their setters in First Team All-NESCAC performer
Maddie Yu and now-sophomore
Zoe Gregory. Those two will share leadership duties with a strong returning case of players like
Cora Cunningham,
Christine Audette,
Rileigh Farragher,
Megan Harrison and
Tori Goldin. That group will certainly be key both in a production standpoint, but helping some of the inexperienced players get their footing.
Though the NESCAC doesn't do preseason polls, the Jumbos come in as the highest ranked NESCAC team in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Coaches Poll at No. 18. Wesleyan University is right behind Tufts at No. 20, while Williams College is sitting at No. 24. Once again, expectations for the Jumbos, but not ones they are not used to.
A full position-by-position breakdown is below.
OFFENSE
The Jumbos come into the 2023 season having graduated three of their top four hitters, as Yarwood,
Maya Lightfoot and Legris combined for 684 terminations in 2022.
Back in 2023 though is Audette, who was second on the squad with 222 kills while hitting .177 on the season. An outside hitter with a very well-rounded game, her experience in all facets will be massive for the Jumbos this season.
Two more names to look out for on the outside and right side is Goldin and Farragher. Goldin played in 58 sets in 2022, earning three starts as a junior. When going well, Goldin can be a force offensively as she posted seven or more kills in seven matches including a season-high 11 against Bowdoin.
Farragher played more right side for the Jumbos in 2022, but might move around this year as she finished last season with 189 kills for fifth on the team. Farragher had seven matches with double-digit kills last season, including 12 in the NESCAC title match against Wesleyan.
Staying on the pins, sophomore
Emma Norman only saw action in nine matches but will look to add to her 17 kills as a first-year player.
First-years
Claire Castor,
Abigail Gray,
Emma Heckman,
Bridget Lonergan, Becca DePencier Piñero and
Akpevwe Akpoigbe are all listed as outsides or opposites and will fight for swings as well this year.
In the middle, Cunningham returns to anchor things at the net as she finished 2022 with 115 kills while hitting .275 on the campaign. Cunningham also tallied 25 service aces as she started 28 times for the Jumbos.
Brittany Bennet hit .310 last year as a junior and will look to go out with a bang as a senior, as she started once while getting into 11 sets last season.
Junior
Alina Qi is looking to take a step forward this season after waiting in line for chances the last few seasons, and sophomore
Julia Griffiths has looked solid in preseason after missing most of her first year at Tufts due to injury.
Lonergan and Akpoigbe are both also listed as primary middle hitters, and will battle for opportunities for the Jumbos.
The setter group is both deep, experienced and talented coming into 2023. Yu was a All-NESCAC First Team honoree last year after dishing out 563 assists while adding a team-high 39 service aces.
Now in her sophomore season, Gregory had a stellar opening campaign with 443 assists and 36 aces. Both formed a setting duo that saw the Jumbos swing at a .219 clip last year.
Sophomore
Ella Norris played in 15 sets last season, and was fourth on the squad with 65 assists. Norris also brings the element of height at the net, as she stands at 6-0 and can be a force also defensively blocking. First-year
Rianna Liu has hit the ground running in 2023, and looks to have a promising future.
DEFENSE
The Jumbos graduated All-American
Stephanie Lee, who logged most of the time in the libero jersey over the last few seasons. Lee posted 430 digs last season, and passed at a very solid .942 percentage last season.
Harrison returns after having a solid role as a defensive specialist and serving specialist last year. Harrison has all of the characteristics of a standout defender, with good instincts and the ability to read hitters well. Harrison will try to add to her dig total of 66 from a season ago.
Sophomore
Allegra Im is also back after playing sparingly as a newcomer, but was thrust into a big spot against Babson College in the NCAA Second Round and held her won with two digs in that match.
DePencier Piñero has also been working with the defensive group, and will look to battle for reps with that solid and strong unit.
At the net, Cunningham is back after posting 59 blocks as a junior, while Farragher is a very solid net presence with 41 rejections last season. It will be interesting to see who steps into the void that Legris left defensively, as she led the team with 83 blocks last season.
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The Jumbos will open their campaign Tuesday, September 4 at 7 p.m. in Cousens Gymnasium. For updates, stats, stories and more, make sure to visit gotuftsjumbos.com all season.
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