Via FSU sports information:
The Florida State volleyball team will begin its 2022 season with the “Tribute to #10” tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Noles will face Illinois State at 4 p.m. on Friday, Dayton at noon on Saturday and Cincinnati at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Sunday’s match against Cincinnati will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Anthony Mazzini (Play-by-Play) and Melissa Luckey (Color) on the call.
The Seminoles are looking to build off a campaign that saw FSU win its first NCAA Tournament game since 2016. From the 2021 team, the Seminoles will return 80 percent of its block total and 76 percent of its kill total. Leading the charge will be two-time AVCA All-American and Preseason All-ACC honoree Emma Clothier. Clothier led the team in kills and in service aces last season while being second on the team in blocks behind returning middle blocker Khori Louis.
After having the youngest roster in the country last season, the Noles will return a solid core of sophomores in Louis, libero Emery Dupes and outside hitter Audrey Koenig. All three were named to the All-ACC Freshmen team last season. The Noles also added four transfers in the offseason to add some much-needed experience. Andjelija Draskovic (Setter), Emily Ryan (Middle Blocker), Alejandra Perez (defensive specialist) and Melanie Cuervo (Setter) are all either seniors or graduate students.
Scouting the Redbirds
The Illinois State Redbirds are coming off their fourth-straight NCAA appearance after a 19-14 record and 13-5 record in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Redbirds won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament to clinch their spot in the NCAA Tournament. 11 letterwinners from the 2021 team will return for first-year head coach Allie Matters. Matters was previously the head coach for Wright State where she led the Raiders to two NCAA Tournament appearances and two Horizon League titles. The Redbirds return three of their top five hitters from last year’s team. Leading the Redbirds will be senior outside-hitter Sarah Kushner. Kushner was second on the team in kills (366) and led the team in service aces with 29. She was named to the 2021 All-MVC First Team.
Scouting the Flyers
The Dayton Flyers are coming off one of its best seasons in school history where they finished 28-6 and a perfect 16-0 in the Atlantic 10 under 14-year head coach Tim Hormson. The Flyers won their fourth-straight Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship and picked up just their ninth win in NCAA Tournament history. The Flyers return three out of their top four hitters from the 2021 team and their starting setter in Livie Sandt. Sandt was named the Atlantic 10 Setter of the Year and was also named to the A-10 All-Conference First Team.
Scouting the Bearcats
Members of the American Athletic Conference, the Cincinnati Bearcats finished 19-9 last season under 11th-year head coach Molly Alvey. The Bearcats will have to replace two out of their top three hitters from last season, but Second Team All-AAC honoree Abby Walker will look to take the reigns for the Bearcats . The 6-1 sophomore tallied 286 kills last year to go along with 73 blocks. The Bearcats also return their starting setter Emme Madden who recorded 978 assists last season.
Nole Notes
The Florida State volleyball team will begin its 2022 season with the “Tribute to #10” tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Noles will face Illinois State at 4 p.m. on Friday, Dayton at noon on Saturday and Cincinnati at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Sunday’s match against Cincinnati will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Anthony Mazzini (Play-by-Play) and Melissa Luckey (Color) on the call.
The Seminoles are looking to build off a campaign that saw FSU win its first NCAA Tournament game since 2016. From the 2021 team, the Seminoles will return 80 percent of its block total and 76 percent of its kill total. Leading the charge will be two-time AVCA All-American and Preseason All-ACC honoree Emma Clothier. Clothier led the team in kills and in service aces last season while being second on the team in blocks behind returning middle blocker Khori Louis.
After having the youngest roster in the country last season, the Noles will return a solid core of sophomores in Louis, libero Emery Dupes and outside hitter Audrey Koenig. All three were named to the All-ACC Freshmen team last season. The Noles also added four transfers in the offseason to add some much-needed experience. Andjelija Draskovic (Setter), Emily Ryan (Middle Blocker), Alejandra Perez (defensive specialist) and Melanie Cuervo (Setter) are all either seniors or graduate students.
Scouting the Redbirds
The Illinois State Redbirds are coming off their fourth-straight NCAA appearance after a 19-14 record and 13-5 record in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Redbirds won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament to clinch their spot in the NCAA Tournament. 11 letterwinners from the 2021 team will return for first-year head coach Allie Matters. Matters was previously the head coach for Wright State where she led the Raiders to two NCAA Tournament appearances and two Horizon League titles. The Redbirds return three of their top five hitters from last year’s team. Leading the Redbirds will be senior outside-hitter Sarah Kushner. Kushner was second on the team in kills (366) and led the team in service aces with 29. She was named to the 2021 All-MVC First Team.
Scouting the Flyers
The Dayton Flyers are coming off one of its best seasons in school history where they finished 28-6 and a perfect 16-0 in the Atlantic 10 under 14-year head coach Tim Hormson. The Flyers won their fourth-straight Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship and picked up just their ninth win in NCAA Tournament history. The Flyers return three out of their top four hitters from the 2021 team and their starting setter in Livie Sandt. Sandt was named the Atlantic 10 Setter of the Year and was also named to the A-10 All-Conference First Team.
Scouting the Bearcats
Members of the American Athletic Conference, the Cincinnati Bearcats finished 19-9 last season under 11th-year head coach Molly Alvey. The Bearcats will have to replace two out of their top three hitters from last season, but Second Team All-AAC honoree Abby Walker will look to take the reigns for the Bearcats . The 6-1 sophomore tallied 286 kills last year to go along with 73 blocks. The Bearcats also return their starting setter Emme Madden who recorded 978 assists last season.
Nole Notes
- Coach Chris Poole is entering his 15th season as the leader of the Seminoles.
- The Noles were picked to finish fifth in the ACC by the coaches.
- The Noles received 43 votes in the Preseason AVCA Top 25 poll.
- Two-time AVCA All-American Emma Clothier was named to the Preseason All-ACC Team.
- The Noles will be looking for their first 3-0 start since 2017.
- The Seminoles return four starters and their starting libero from last year’s team that finished 20-10.
- FSU returns 76 percent of its kill total from last year and 80 percent of its block total.
- Florida State defeated Kansas State in last year’s NCAA Tournament for their first win in the tournament since 2016.
- The Noles added four transfers to this year’s team: Andjelija Draskovic (UMBC), Emily Ryan (UCLA), Alejandra Perez (Stetson) and Melanie Cuervo (Lynn University).
- The Noles bring in three freshmen with Audrey Rothman, Laila N’Diaye and Greta Gelumbickas.
- Rothman comes to campus as one of the top recruits in school history. Rothman was named the USA Today Girls Volleyball Player of the Year and the Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year.
- Emery Dupes, Audrey Koenig and Khori Louis return for the 2022 season after being named to the All-ACC Freshman Team last season.
- The Noles will play six opponents ranked in the Preseason AVCA Top 25 including No. 18 Creighton, No. 15 Florida, No. 4 Louisville, No. 6 Pitt and No. 9 Georgia Tech twice.
- The Noles have a combined 24-6 record against these three opponents. The Noles are 18-3 against Cincinnati, 5-3 against Illinois State and 1-0 against Dayton.
- The Noles have never lost to the Bearcats in Cincinnati. The Noles are 5-0 in Cincinnati.
