JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - East Tennessee State volleyball continues Southern Conference play on Friday evening in Cullowhee, N.C. at Western Carolina at 6 p.m., then moves on to Samford on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET in Birmingham, Ala.
 
Match Information:
East Tennessee State at Western Carolina
Oct. 3 | 6 p.m. | Cullowhee, N.C.
Match Notes | Live Stats | Watch (ESPN+)
Matchup Notes:

• In the previous meeting, ETSU swept Western Carolina 2024 season. Abbey Thomas boasted three block solos and four block assists for the defensive lead. Whitley Rammel tallied 13 kills on a .591 clip with five block assists. Melanie Morris recorded 15 digs. 
• The first meeting of the two programs was in 1979 where WCU defeated ETSU 2-0. 
• ETSU leads the series at 51-43. 

Match Information:
East Tennessee State at Samford
Oct. 4 | 6 p.m. ET | Birmingham, Ala. | Pete Hanna Center
Match Notes | Live Stats | Watch (ESPN+)
Matchup Notes:

• In the previous meeting, ETSU defeated Samford in five sets during the 2024 season. Melanie Morris boasted 21 digs while Amanda Lowe led the offense with 14 kills. Whitley Rammel put on a defensive masterclass with two block solos and four block assists. Reese Rhodes tallied 40 assists with 15 digs for a double-double. 
• The first meeting of the two programs was in 2014 where Samford defeated ETSU in five sets. 
• The series is tied at 14-14. 

• Makayla Bays accumulated a career-high 24 kills for the second time in two weeks versus Chattanooga, totaling 41 kills at 5.13 k/s over the span of the opening two conference matches.
• Sophie Davis boasted career-highs in kills and block assists in the win over Chattanooga with 12 kills and five block assists to be one of the top offensive and defensive producers in the match for the Bucs.
• Bailey Gohlke recorded her second and third career double-doubles in the Hokie Classic with 23 assists and 13 digs at Virginia Tech and 15 assists with 10 digs versus Middle Tennessee State.
• Whitley Rammel collected three block solos in the match against Virginia Tech, marking a career-high and capturing the team single-match lead for block solos.
• Whitley Rammel boasted an elusive kills-blocks double-double in the five-set win over High Point, tallying 12 kills and 10 total blocks.  
• The Buccaneer Classic was highlighted by Rammel's contributions:
  • vs. VCU - 13 kills, .423 attack percentage, two aces, five block assists
  • vs. WKU - 12 kills, .500 attack percentage, one block solo, two block assists
  • vs. HPU - 12 kills, one block solo, nine block assists, double-double
  • Total - 37 kills at 3.08/set, .392 attack percentage, two aces, six digs, two block solos, 16 block assists
• Makayla Bays accumulated a career-high 24 kills versus High Point, upending her previous career-high of 19 set against American.
• Isabelle Iosua reached 14 kills for a career-high against High Point.
• Sophie Davis dished three consecutive service aces to open a set versus Western Kentucky.
• Bailey Gohlke collected her first career double-double (19 A, 10 D) in the program's first win in the 2025 campaign, leading the offense in the sweep of American to a .377 hitting percentage.

Makayla Bays - Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 22)
Isabelle Iosua - Hokie Classic All-Tournament Team
Makayla Bays - Hokie Classic MVP
Whitley Rammel - Buccaneer Classic All-Tournament Team
Makayla Bays - Gamecock Classic All-Tournament Team
Brianna Cantrell - Preseason All-SoCon
Whitley Rammel - Preseason All-SoCon
 

• East Tennessee State volleyball enters its 47th season of competition in the 2025 campaign.
• Lindey Devine returns for her 18th season as head coach of East Tennessee State volleyball, and for her second consecutive season.
• Devine returned eight from the 2024 roster and added seven freshmen to complete the 2025 roster.  The squad is comprised of three seniors, three juniors, two sophomores and seven freshmen.
• Emily Arnold and Aaron Giorgi return for their second seasons with the program after joining the staff prior to the 2024 season.
• Brianna Cantrell, the 2022 SoCon Freshman of the Year, was tabbed to the 2025 Preseason All-SoCon team.  The senior outside hitter has accumulated 14 double-doubles, 799 kills, 35 assists, 71 aces, 673 digs and 101 total blocks across her three previous seasons with the program.
• Whitley Rammel was tabbed to the 2025 Preseason All-SoCon team after a standout 2024 season where she totaled 208 kills on a .327 season-long clip with 25 block solos and 73 block assists.
• The squad faces competition from 10 conferences (SEC, CAA, ACC, Patriot League, MAC, Horizon League, A-10, CUSA, Big South, and SoCon) across the 27 scheduled contests.
• Brooks Gymnasium will house action for 10 of 17 matches in the 2025 campaign and tickets can be purchased here.

2025 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Wofford (5) - 61
2. Samford (3) - 54
3. ETSU - 51
4. Furman (1) - 47
5. Chattanooga - 29
    UNCG - 29
7. The Citadel - 23
8. Mercer - 18
9. Western Carolina - 12
() denotes first-place votes

2025 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Brianna Cantrell, ETSU, OH
Whitley Rammel, ETSU, MB/RS
Izzy Castelloe, Furman, MB
Sophia Henry, Mercer, OH/RS
Allie Sweet, UNCG, OH
Kaleigh Meritt, Samford, OH
Kynli Kirkendoll, Chattanooga, MB
Bradley Brown, Wofford, MB
Laney Klika, Wofford, LIB
Bri Mahoney, Wofford, OH
 

• Lindsey Devine returned to the helm of the East Tennessee State volleyball program in the 2024 season, turning around a 6-23 season from 2023 to go 19-11 in the 2024 schedule.
• Devine was selected as the 2024 SoCon Coach of the Year for the third time in her career for her immense success in her first year back with the program.
• ETSU led the SoCon in total blocks (259.5) and blocks/set (2.32) in the 2024 slate.
• The squad finished third in the 2024 SoCon Tournament, falling to tournament champion Wofford 3-1 in the semifinals.
• Abbey Thomas and Reese Rhodes were respectively tabbed to the All-SoCon Second Team for their efforts in the 2024 season while Makayla Bays was selected to the SoCon All-Freshman team after tallying six double-doubles and career-highs of 15 kills, 17 digs and three block assists through her debut year.
• The Bucs were selected to finish sixth in the SoCon Preseason Poll, yet finished third overall in the regular season.
• 2024 Team Leaders: Kills - Amanda Lowe, 315 | Assists - Reese Rhodes, 1052 | Aces - Reese Rhodes, 41 | Digs - Melanie Morris, 461 | Block Solos - Abbey Thomas, 37 | Block Assists - Abbey Thomas, 87
• Jenna Forster was tabbed to the Preseason All-SoCon team.

Season, single-game and group tickets can be purchased here.
For more information on Buccaneer women's volleyball, follow @ETSUvolleyball on X (Twitter) and Instagram, and visit ETSUBucs.com.