Friday, February 28
Baton Rouge, La.
8 a.m.
UT Martin
vs
South Florida
Photo by: UT Martin Sports Information
UT Martin Makes 2025 Debut At Tournament Hosted By LSU This Weekend
2/27/2025 8:04:00 AM | Beach Volleyball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The 2025 University of Tennessee at Martin beach volleyball campaign officially gets underway this weekend as the Skyhawks are one of six teams to take part in the Tiger Beach Challenge in Baton Rouge, La.
UT Martin takes on South Florida at 8 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 28 before colliding against Southeastern Louisiana later that day at 3:30 p.m. The Skyhawks will then battle No. 10 LSU at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 1 before wrapping up their season-opening tournament at 1 p.m. against Louisiana-Monroe.
This weekend marks the first of six regular season tournaments and three double dual dates on UT Martin's 2025 schedule. The Skyhawks will also take part in the March to May Tournament hosted by UAB on March 7-8 and the Sugar Beach Bash hosted by Southeastern Louisiana on March 14-15 before their home opener – a pair of matches against North Alabama on March 19.
That match kicks off a six-match homestand and 10 straight matches where UT Martin doesn't leave the Volunteer State. The Skyhawks host the OVC Weekend at UT Martin on March 21-22 before heading to Chattanooga seven days later for another conference bout and a neutral-site test against Tusculum.
The month of April begins with a pair of matches against league foe Chattanooga (April 5) in the final two home matches of the spring. The Skyhawks then head to the UCA Beach Invitational hosted by Central Arkansas on April 11-12 before an OVC Weekend at Morehead State on April 18-19 concludes the regular season.
The 2025 OVC Championship tournament will be held in Chattanooga, Tenn. for the first time. The three-day event is set to span Thursday, April 24 through Saturday, April 26.
Last season, UT Martin rolled to its third consecutive Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship before coming up just short in its quest for a third straight NCAA Tournament bid. Skyhawk head coach Jaclynn Wilson brings back nine valuable returners from a squad that went 9-1 in league play while collecting 16 total victories in 2024.
Recently tabbed as UT Martin's representative on the OVC Watch List, Dylan Mott is poised for another strong season. The redshirt senior has racked up three straight All-OVC first team nods while playing exclusively at No. 1 or No. 2 throughout her collegiate career.
Two-time All-OVC performers Olivia O'Keefe (36 wins at No. 1 or No. 2 in two seasons) and Jenna Vallée (40 victories in two years as a Skyhawk) joined forces last season at No. 1 and are projected to play major roles on the squad in 2025. Sydney Eckhardt (team-best 21 victories last season) and Ryan Rednour (9-1 in OVC play a year ago) each return after All-OVC first team campaigns, joining Reagan McGee (All-OVC second team, 20-11 with a 9-0 record as a freshman) who captured postseason accolades last spring.
Kristin Phillips (23 starts, 8-1 all-time against OVC competition) and Dylan Sulcer (nine combined appearances at No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5) each saw extensive action in the sand last season while Kayla Bryant (2023 OVC All-Freshman) returns after missing all of last season with an injury.
Junior Riley Rushing (25-10 record last season at NCAA Division II Tusculum) and redshirt freshman MC Rehm (redshirted in 2024 at Louisiana-Monroe) each bring collegiate beach volleyball experience to UT Martin as well as Amara Traiger (two years at Stetson), who was unfortunately injured at the end of the fall indoor season. Senior Zara McCauley also gives the Skyhawks a veteran option as she has played five seasons of collegiate indoor volleyball.
Lauren Mariscal is the only UT Martin freshman to exclusively suit up for beach volleyball as the Naperville, Ill. excelled on the AVP Tour. Five Skyhawks – Abby Freund, Maddy Gladson, Ella McFarland, Makaelah Paulino and Kylie Surratt – cross over to beach season after spending the fall on the indoor volleyball roster.
All four matches this weekend will be streamed free of charge on VolleyballWorld at the link above.
UT Martin takes on South Florida at 8 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 28 before colliding against Southeastern Louisiana later that day at 3:30 p.m. The Skyhawks will then battle No. 10 LSU at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 1 before wrapping up their season-opening tournament at 1 p.m. against Louisiana-Monroe.
This weekend marks the first of six regular season tournaments and three double dual dates on UT Martin's 2025 schedule. The Skyhawks will also take part in the March to May Tournament hosted by UAB on March 7-8 and the Sugar Beach Bash hosted by Southeastern Louisiana on March 14-15 before their home opener – a pair of matches against North Alabama on March 19.
That match kicks off a six-match homestand and 10 straight matches where UT Martin doesn't leave the Volunteer State. The Skyhawks host the OVC Weekend at UT Martin on March 21-22 before heading to Chattanooga seven days later for another conference bout and a neutral-site test against Tusculum.
The month of April begins with a pair of matches against league foe Chattanooga (April 5) in the final two home matches of the spring. The Skyhawks then head to the UCA Beach Invitational hosted by Central Arkansas on April 11-12 before an OVC Weekend at Morehead State on April 18-19 concludes the regular season.
The 2025 OVC Championship tournament will be held in Chattanooga, Tenn. for the first time. The three-day event is set to span Thursday, April 24 through Saturday, April 26.
Last season, UT Martin rolled to its third consecutive Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship before coming up just short in its quest for a third straight NCAA Tournament bid. Skyhawk head coach Jaclynn Wilson brings back nine valuable returners from a squad that went 9-1 in league play while collecting 16 total victories in 2024.
Recently tabbed as UT Martin's representative on the OVC Watch List, Dylan Mott is poised for another strong season. The redshirt senior has racked up three straight All-OVC first team nods while playing exclusively at No. 1 or No. 2 throughout her collegiate career.
Two-time All-OVC performers Olivia O'Keefe (36 wins at No. 1 or No. 2 in two seasons) and Jenna Vallée (40 victories in two years as a Skyhawk) joined forces last season at No. 1 and are projected to play major roles on the squad in 2025. Sydney Eckhardt (team-best 21 victories last season) and Ryan Rednour (9-1 in OVC play a year ago) each return after All-OVC first team campaigns, joining Reagan McGee (All-OVC second team, 20-11 with a 9-0 record as a freshman) who captured postseason accolades last spring.
Kristin Phillips (23 starts, 8-1 all-time against OVC competition) and Dylan Sulcer (nine combined appearances at No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5) each saw extensive action in the sand last season while Kayla Bryant (2023 OVC All-Freshman) returns after missing all of last season with an injury.
Junior Riley Rushing (25-10 record last season at NCAA Division II Tusculum) and redshirt freshman MC Rehm (redshirted in 2024 at Louisiana-Monroe) each bring collegiate beach volleyball experience to UT Martin as well as Amara Traiger (two years at Stetson), who was unfortunately injured at the end of the fall indoor season. Senior Zara McCauley also gives the Skyhawks a veteran option as she has played five seasons of collegiate indoor volleyball.
Lauren Mariscal is the only UT Martin freshman to exclusively suit up for beach volleyball as the Naperville, Ill. excelled on the AVP Tour. Five Skyhawks – Abby Freund, Maddy Gladson, Ella McFarland, Makaelah Paulino and Kylie Surratt – cross over to beach season after spending the fall on the indoor volleyball roster.
All four matches this weekend will be streamed free of charge on VolleyballWorld at the link above.
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