MEDFORD, MA (September 1, 2024) – The 2024 Tufts University volleyball season gets underway on Tuesday evening in Cousens Gymnasium against WPI in non-conference play, and the squad's makeover from two years ago when the team made the NCAA Tournament Regional Finals continued in the offseason with the addition of nine first-years.
In all, the Jumbos will enter the 2024 season with 16 first-years and sophomores but that's not to say this team is absent of talent. Or experienced leaders. Or of a group that's ready to work, grow and build on last year's NCAA Tournament First Round five-set exit to Eastern University.
"We're much deeper in all positions than we have been," said head coach
Cora Thompson. "So, that's made our intersquad scrimmages and practices much more competitive. Also, there's an intensity and fire…an intangible feeling that they're trying to improve for themselves but also to help the team and the person next to them get better."
The feeling has been very evident at practices where the energy has been palpable, but the quest will be to find a level of consistency that wasn't always there with such an inexperienced and young squad in 2023.
"I feel like I've already seen a more consistent level in preseason," said Thompson. "If you look at the books, yes, we have 16 underclassmen but the fact of the matter is that we have seven important sophomores that had to carry a pretty significant load last year with high expectations. Now, these sophomores understand the need to help and bring the first-years up quickly."
With that has come a mindset from the entire team that every point, set and match is critical. "Our mindset is already different, last season was not a typical season for Tufts volleyball," said Cunningham. "To be fair, our schedule was one of the best in New England, but there is now a mindset that we were scared to lose instead of playing to win. But we've reloaded with young players, surrounded by hungry returners."
The young players that Thompson is talking about is the nine newcomers that have come to campus this fall looking to make a name for themselves. This is a very strong group of talented volleyball players as well as fitting perfectly in terms of personalities. "They have great, fun personalities, but all come from very competitive backgrounds," said Thompson. "The one thing we looked at with this group was the hunger to grow and the desire to learn. They've fit in perfectly."
When looking forward at this season, the Jumbos once again will play a very strong schedule right out of the gate as they travel to St. Louis for the East-West Classic. Tufts, which is receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Preseason Poll, will take on No. 3 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, No. 17 Washington University of St. Louis and Colorado College.
The Jumbos will also take on No. 13 MIT, No. 14 Wesleyan, No. 18 Calvin along with four schools receiving votes in the preseason poll in Babson, Springfield, CNU and Colorado College. These tests help make the squad stronger, but also help when it comes to selection time for the NCAA Tournament. "To be the best, you have to beat the best…it's just also something that we want to understand the level we need to be at. Really…we've been preaching being better than our best each day, and playing these strong teams allows us to test ourselves consistently."
The one thing that Tufts volleyball though has always done though is play tough, physical volleyball where they squad takes care of one another. Strong culture in today's collegiate atmosphere is so critical, and it's been a hallmark of Jumbo volleyball teams under Thompson.
"Our culture is one of our most important things, and when you can trust the person next to you that's when we excel," said Thompson. "We don't have to worry about our relationships…it's been an emphasis with this team, our alums and the program as a whole. We just take of each other and put our relationships first."
Below is a position breakdown of this year's team.
HITTERS
The Tufts volleyball squad will have to look to replace its two top offensive options from a year ago, as
Tori Goldin and
Rileigh Farragher have since graduated. The duo accounted for 435 kills a season ago, as both were named as All-New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) performers.
The Jumbos do return the next three highest kill leaders from last year, including sophomores
Claire Castor and
Emma Heckman. Heckman was third on the squad with 189 kills in 2023, while hitting .240 for the season out of the right side.
Castor started 23 of the 25 matches last season, posting 166 kills while adding a team-high 42 service aces. Castor hit out of the outside from last year, but will move around this year from the outside to the right side.
Sophomore
Abigail Gray saw action in 35 sets during her rookie campaign, and flashed moments with eight kills against Colorado College and seven against Endicott College. Junior
Emma Norman also contributed in 29 sets as a sophomore, and will look for a larger role this season after posting 28 terminations last year.
Tufts lone senior
Alina Qi started 22 matches last season and hit .233 out of the middle, adding 114 kills on the year. She also paced the team with 82 blocks last year. The Jumbos also bring back fellow middles
Julia Griffiths and
Akpevwe Akpoigbe after encouraging moments last year. Both have looked very strong in preseason, and should be big contributors this season.
Another big addition to the lineup this season is the return of
Christine Audette, who returns from injury a season ago. A full-time starter as a junior in 2022, she posted 222 kills while bringing superior passing out of the back row. Her volleyball IQ, leadership and hitting on the outside will be huge this year.
Tufts is also excited about the group of first-years in
Maiwenn Kamdje,
Celina Savage,
Keller Mobley,
Elizabeth Farren and
Ruby Flath.
SETTERS
The Tufts setter group will look to replace the contributions of senior
Maddie Yu, an All-American setter for the Jumbos over the last two seasons. Tufts does have two returning options in
Rianna Liu and
Ella Norris, while adding two setters in
Ellery Clark and
Lola Tortorello. Liu finished with 333 assists last season as a first-year, adding 27 service aces and 31 kills on dumps. Norris got into limited action last year, but has good size at the net and has been solid in preseason.
BACK ROW
Tufts will have to replace their full-time libero for the second straight season, as All-American Stephanie Lee and
Megan Harrison have since moved on. Ball control and serve receive have always been a strength of the Jumbo teams, and this year's squad should continue to be strong passers.
Becca DePencier Pinero is back as a sophomore after carving out a solid role as a defensive specialist in 2023. She finished with 50 digs in 36 sets. Audette's return as a six-rotation outside will also be key, as she was third on the team in digs in 2022 with 250 on the year. She also passed at a 94 percent rate that campaign. Castor also played all the way around in 2023 as a first-year, posting 160 digs.
The Jumbos are also excited about their two incoming first-years at defensive specialist in
Dylan Whisenant and
Matsa Shi. Both are intelligent, quick to react and have already grown into leaders in the back for Tufts.
--
The Jumbos will open their 2024 campaign on Tuesday, September 3 at 7 pm against WPI in non-conference play in Cousens Gymnasium. Tufts will be in search of its fourth NESCAC title in 2024, and third since 2019.
--JUMBOS--
