JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - East Tennessee State University's volleyball team returns home for the first time in the Southern Conference season to host Mercer Friday and Saturday at Brooks Gymnasium. 

East Tennessee State (2-11, 0-2 SoCon) fell in the opening matches of SoCon play at Samford. Karis Chatfield led the Buccaneers offensively with 31 total kills, 18 of which came in the Sept. 25 match. She averaged a .261 hitting percentage, with her best individual game being .310 in the Sept. 24 Samford match. Kennedy Boatman averaged 6.75 assists per set in the opening matches of SoCon play, with a setting percentage of .443. Her 6.75 assists and .443 percentage were both well above her season averages of 4.93 assists and .340 percentage. Gianna Blair led the team with seven total blocks and an average of 1.00 per set. 

Mercer (8-6, 2-0 SoCon) defeated The Citadel 3-0 in the opening matches of conference play. Aubri Martin earned Defensive Player of the Week honors after totaling 33 digs and averaging 5.5 per set. Sammi Bergjans was named the Setter of the Week after recording 11.83 assists per set, 39 of those coming in the Saturday game against The Citadel. She also had a double-double on Saturday in assists and digs, recording 39 assists, 10 digs, three service aces, and one block.

This will be the 43rd meeting of the Buccaneers and the Bears, with the Bucs leading the all-time series 29-13. The Buccaneers swept the series in the 2025 season, with 3-0 wins in both meetings. 

The Buccaneers face the Bears at 6 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.  

For news and updates ahead of the Buccaneers' 2026 season, follow the volleyball team on X and Instagram (@etsuvolleyball) or check back in on etsubucs.com.

Match Points

• Lindsey Devine is in her 19th season at the helm of ETSU volleyball; her third consecutive season. 
• Devine earned her fourth regular-season title last season; the eighth in program history. 
• The 2026 squad consists of 11 returners, five freshmen, and one transfer. 
• The reigning SoCon Player of the Year, Makayla Bays, was selected as a Preseason All-Conference selection after her standout sophomore campaign. 
• On Sept. 15, the Buccaneers defeated South Carolina, 3-2, at Brooks Gym. This marked the Bucs' first win over an SEC opponent since their 3-2 decision over Tennessee, Sept. 4, 2018. Three Buccaneers had double-doubles in the win: Alex Kreutzmann 31 assists/10 digs, Makayla Bays 11 kills/15 digs, and Karis Chatfield 12 kills/10 digs. The team had a season-high 68 kills and 63 assists. 
• The Bucs are fourth in the conference with 11.27 assists per set and 1,893 total attacks. Their 12.02 kills per set and 631 team assists are fifth. 
• Gianna Blair is fourth in the SoCon with 1.02 blocks per set and 53 total blocks. Makayla Bays is fourth with 20 service aces, ninth with 463 total attacks, and 10th with 2.93 kills per set. Melanie Morris is seventh with 160 total digs. 
• Makayla Bays leads the squad with 164 kills and 20 aces. Alex Kreutzman leads with 257 assists. Melanie Morris leads with 160 digs, as Gianna Blair leads with 53 blocks. 

Scouting report

• Mercer is 8-6 overall and 2-0 in SoCon play. 
• The Bears are 4-2 at home, 202 on the road, and 202 at neutral sites.
• Mercer is first in the SoCon with 1.96 aces per set and 104 team service aces. Its 14.94 digs and .202 hitting percentage are third. 
• Sammi Bergjans is third in the SoCon with 9.51 assists per set and 504 total assists. Her 20 aces are fourth. Aubri Martin is fourth with 20 service aces and fifth with 210 digs and 3.96 digs per set. Lara Matta is fight with 10.23 attacks per set and sixth with 3.42 kills per set.