RICHARDSON, TEXAS – The University of Texas at Tyler volleyball program will open the 2024 season picked fifth in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Volleyball Poll as announced by the conference office on Monday morning.
The Patriots received 536 votes to appear as the no. 5 choice in the annual preseason poll behind four programs who each earned at least one first-place vote in West Texas A&M, DBU, Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville. West Texas A&M will enter the year as the favorite after garnering 23 first-place votes and 674 total votes in the poll.
UT Tyler has advanced to the NCAA Division II National Tournament in each of the first three years of postseason eligibility at the Division II level for the program and are coming off of a 2023 campaign in which they posted an overall mark of 17-12 and an 11-5 record in Lone Star Conference play.
In addition to the poll, three individuals were selected for preseason player of the year awards. Delaney Fuller of DBU was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Taytum Stow the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and Emma Lade of Texas A&M International the Preseason Setter of the Year.
Head coach
Lyndsay Mashe will return multiple faces in 2024 that saw meaningful court time last season, including a host of key defensive contributors in
Addison Evans,
Bella Briceno,
Makayla Villarreal and
Dakota Rogers-Hurtado.
Brylee Peterson,
Jackie Velzis and
Sophie Connor will return to the floor for the Patriots as the primary returning offensive contributors this fall.
UT Tyler will open play at the Dallas Classic with three matches over the course of the weekend on Sept. 6-7. The Patriots will open play in the tournament on Friday morning at 10 a.m. against East Central prior to a pair of matches against teams receiving votes in the 2024 AVCA/TARAFLEX Preseason Division II National Poll in Dallas Baptist and Bentley.
The complete 2024 LSC Volleyball Preseason Poll and Players to Watch list can be found below.
LSC 2024 Preseason Poll
Voted by head coaches, sports information directors and media
| Pl |
Team (1st pl. votes) |
Pts. |
| 1 |
West Texas A&M (23) |
674 |
| 2 |
DBU (15) |
665 |
| 3 |
Angelo State (2) |
610 |
| 4 |
Texas A&M-Kingsville (1) |
562 |
| 5 |
UT Tyler |
536 |
| 6 |
Texas Woman's |
481 |
| 7 |
Lubbock Christian |
430 |
| 8 |
Texas A&M International |
418 |
| 9-T |
St. Mary's |
349 |
| 9-T |
UT Permian Basin |
349 |
| 11 |
Oklahoma Christian |
299 |
| 12 |
St. Edward's |
249 |
| 13 |
Cameron |
168 |
| 14 |
Eastern New Mexico |
158 |
| 15 |
Western New Mexico |
140 |
| 16 |
Midwestern State |
130 |
| 17 |
Sul Ross State |
55 |
LSC 2024 Preseason Honors
Preseason Player Awards
Determined by vote of head coaches, sports information staffs and media
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Delaney Fuller, Outside Hitter, DBU
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Taytum Stow, Middle Blocker, West Texas A&M
Preseason Setter of the Year: Emma Lade, Setter, Texas A&M International
Preseason Players to Watch
As submitted by their respective team; # Indicates preseason player of the year
| OFFENSIVE |
Team |
Pos |
Cl |
Major |
Hometown |
| Evelyn Torres |
Angelo State |
OH |
Gr |
Criminal Justice |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| Hailey Baker |
Cameron |
OH |
Fr |
Business |
Rockwall, Texas |
| Delaney Fuller # |
DBU |
OH |
Sr |
Psychology |
San Juan Capistrano, Calif. |
| Sophia Valdez |
Eastern New Mexico |
OH/MB |
So |
Biology |
Roswell, N.M. |
| Lily Bickley |
Lubbock Christian |
MB |
Jr |
Biology |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| Isabella Dickens |
Midwestern State |
MH |
So |
Physical Therapy |
Iowa Park, Texas |
| Annie Davis |
Oklahoma Christian |
OH |
Jr |
Biology |
Edmond, Okla. |
| Kelli Fording |
St. Edward's |
OH |
So |
Marketing |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Alicia Virthe |
St. Mary's |
RSH |
Sr |
Psychology |
Orlando, Fla. |
| Cassandra Espinoza |
Sul Ross State |
OH |
Jr |
Psychology |
El Paso, Texas |
| Anna Ligart |
Texas A&M International |
RSH |
So |
Computer Engineering |
Godollo, Hungary |
| Kendall Harrington |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
RSH |
Jr |
Business Mgmt. |
San Antonio |
| Cara Pool |
Texas Woman's |
MB |
Gr |
Kinesiology |
Double Oak, Texas |
| Chyna Thompson |
UT Permian Basin |
MH |
Sr |
Biology |
Killeen, Texas |
| Autumn Perry |
UT Tyler |
OH |
So |
Pre-Nursing |
Wylie, Texas |
| Emma Becker |
West Texas A&M |
OH |
Jr |
Communications |
Liberty Hill, Texas |
| Jazmyne Walker |
Western New Mexico |
OH |
Gr |
Nursing |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| DEFENSIVE |
Team |
Pos |
Cl |
Major |
Hometown |
| Caleigh Enax |
Angelo State |
DS |
Sr |
Exercise Science |
Haslet, Texas |
| Shelby Rusch |
Cameron |
Libero |
Jr |
English Education |
Greeley, Colo. |
| Shaylee Shore |
DBU |
MB |
Sr |
Health Sciences;
Pre-Phys. Therapy |
Prosper, Texas |
| Nickilah Whatley |
Eastern New Mexico |
MB |
So |
Psychology |
Hereford, Texas |
| Ramsey Clark |
Lubbock Christian |
DS |
So |
Marketing |
Midland, Texas |
| Sara Freeman |
Oklahoma Christian |
DS |
So |
Exercise Science |
Moore, Okla. |
| Cora Young |
St. Edward's |
MB |
So |
Accounting |
Nampa, Idaho |
| Alyssa Koehl |
St. Mary's |
Libero |
Jr |
Exer. & Sport Science |
New Braunfels, Texas |
| Tatyana Colon |
Sul Ross State |
Libero/DS |
Sr |
Kinesiology |
El Paso, Texas |
| Mia Ramirez |
Texas A&M International |
DS/Libero |
Fr |
Accounting |
Pearland, Texas |
| Ayanna Jackson |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
MB |
Sr |
Kinesiology |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Luna França |
Texas Woman's |
Libero |
Sr |
Biology |
Belo Horizonte,
Minas Gerais, Brasil |
| Gabby Gregorski |
UT Permian Basin |
DS |
Sr |
Criminal Justice |
Katy, Texas |
| Addison Evans |
UT Tyler |
Libero/DS |
Sr |
Kinesiology |
New Braunfels, Texas |
| Taytum Stow # |
West Texas A&M |
MB |
Jr |
Sport & Exer. Science |
Hereford, Texas |
| Lilouann Bechec |
Western New Mexico |
DS |
Sr |
Marketing |
Cannes, France |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| SETTER |
Team |
Pos |
Cl |
Major |
Hometown |
| Ava Wadley |
Western New Mexico |
S |
Fr |
Biology |
Wichita, Kan. |
| Althea Morris |
St. Edward's |
S |
Fr |
Business Admin. |
Burbank, Calif. |
| Abigayle Falefia |
Eastern New Mexico |
S |
Fr |
Undeclared |
Providence Village, Texas |
| Kayton Genenbacher |
Lubbock Christian |
S |
Sr |
Biology |
Lubbock, Texas |
| Canyen Rodriguez |
UT Permian Basin |
S |
Jr |
Business |
Portland, Texas |
| Grace Reynolds |
Texas Woman's |
S |
Jr |
Business Mgmt. |
Martinsville, Ind. |
| Eliana Mata |
Sul Ross State |
S |
So |
Psychology |
Fort Stockton, Texas |
| Elisa Carli |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
S |
Jr |
Kinesiology |
Bedizzole, Italy |
| Emma Lade # |
Texas A&M International |
S |
Jr |
Pre-Medicine |
Howard Lake, Minn. |
| Ainsley Malis |
West Texas A&M |
S |
Sr |
Sport & Exer. Science |
Tucson, Ariz. |
| Jenna White |
UT Tyler |
S |
Sr |
Marketing |
Keenesburg, Colo. |
| Lauren McClure |
Oklahoma Christian |
S |
Sr |
Digital Marketing |
Overland Park, Kan. |
| Cali Nims |
St. Mary's |
S |
Sr |
Exer. & Sport Science |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
| Adeline Ortman |
Angelo State |
S |
Gr |
MBA |
Rhome, Texas |
| Emily Keohen |
Cameron |
S |
So |
Sport & Exer. Science |
N. Richland Hills, Texas |
