MARIETTA, Ohio – The Marietta College volleyball team played strong and powered through a talented Ohio Athletic Conference in 2023, compiling a 15-12 overall record and collecting seven impressive conference wins. As they turn the page to this new season, the Pioneers bring back the same squad as last year, but now with a valuable year of experience and a chance to build on their team chemistry. Seventh-year head coach
Kristy Newman is pleased with the progress of the program but says there is still work to be done.
"Last season was another step in the right direction for us and Pio Nation was a huge reason we were able to accomplish the goals that we did," said Newman. "However, we did not reach all the goals we had set for ourselves. With not graduating anyone, we were able build off last season in the spring. Our focus was to figure out how we could grow ourselves individually and as a program. I am excited for us to hopefully be able to see the hard work from the spring pay off."
Coming back to help lead the way will be fifth-year senior and two-time All-American,
Maggie Fellers (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington). Fellers was ninth in the conference in total kills with 284 and was sixth in the OAC with a hitting percentage of .284 percent. Fellers also led the Pioneers in total blocks with 87 and solo blocks with 10. She proved to be a force defensively as she collected 300 digs, putting her 12th in the conference.
Junior
Jillian Fellers (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington) returns after leading the team with 311 kills and was fourth in the OAC in kills per set with 3.34, paving the way to a spot on the All-OAC first team. All-OAC second teamer
Mia Silva (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton) returns to add to Marietta's intimidating front line. Silva hammered 269 kills and collected 61 blocks in 2023.
Emory Spitler (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon) returns as the setter after a very decorated 2023. She led the OAC with 10 assists per set, placing her on the All-OAC first team. Defensively,
Keira Shannon (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah Community) and
Riley Hohman (Copley, Ohio/Copley) return to give the Pioneers some stability on the back row. Shannon led the team in digs with 397 (4.09/set), good for 9th in the Ohio Athletic Conference.
Marietta's deep senior class rightsize hitter
Ella Boyer (Bay Village, Ohio/Saint Joseph Academy), middle blocker
Sophie Evans (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta) and defensive specialist
Alayna Ricker (Columbus Grove, Ohio/Columbus Grove). Boyer averaged 1.27 kills per set and added 18 total blocks. Evans posted 1.40 kills per set a year ago and amassed 36 total blocks, while Ricker averaged nearly a dig per set.
In addition to the returners, the Pioneers added three newcomers: transfer student
Kamryn Haynes (Williamstown, W.Va./Williamstown) and freshmen
Karly Launder (Pleasant City, Ohio/Meadowbrook) and
Emily Piehler (Medina, Ohio/Medina). "Our incoming class is fitting right in with our program," said Newman. "They have come in ready to go and are pushing our returners daily."
The Pioneers, entering the 50th season in program history, experienced a unique opportunity in early August as they traveled to Costa Rica to get some preseason work in, as well as benefit from some early team bonding. From all accounts, the trip was successful and has set a course of success for a hungry 2024 Pioneer volleyball team.
The Pioneers will open the season on the road as they participate in the Mount Union Invitational on Friday (Aug. 30) and Saturday (Sept. 1). The Pioneers will battle Rochester at 6:00 p.m. and Albion College at 8 p.m. on Friday. Marietta's first home matchup will be September 21 when they host Wittenberg and Case Western Reserve in a tri-match with a scheduled start time of 1:00 p.m.
"I do believe that this team is a special one," concluded Newman. "They not only focus on getting the extra reps in the gym and pushing each other to be better on the court every day, but they also spend just as much time building and growing their relationships with one another. I am excited for the Pio Community to get to see us in action."
Fans can follow all the Pioneer teams all year long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on X and Instagram.
