JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - The East Tennessee State University volleyball team officially begins the 2026 season with the Buccaneer Classic, Aug. 28-29, at Brooks Gymnasium.

On Friday, the Buccaneers will face Akron and Auburn at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively, and Liberty on Saturday at 4 p.m.

In the 2025 Buccaneer Classic, the squad went 2-1, winning matches against Virginia Commonwealth and High Point, while falling to Western Kentucky. 

The 2026 squad consists of 11 returners, five freshmen, and one transfer. Returning for the Bucs are 2025 All-SoCon Freshman Team selections, Bailey Gohlke and Sophie Davis. Also returning are Gianna Blair, Chloe Smith, Raegan Waller, Melanie Morris, Alex Kreutzmann, Zeynep Özer, Malia Brinkman, and Emma MacFerran.

Ryan Jomo, Darby Felts, Phoenix Fogel, Karis Chatfield, and Kennedy Boatman will all begin their college careers with the Bucs.

Elizabeth Aylward joined the Bucs by way of Virginia Tech, where she played 130 matches in three seasons. 

The Buccaneer Classic begins on Friday with a 10 a.m. neutral site match featuring Auburn and Liberty, followed by ETSU's matches against Akron and Auburn. Saturday's slate includes a 10 a.m. match between Akron and Liberty, a 1 p.m. match featuring Akron and Auburn, as ETSU's 4 p.m. match against Liberty rounds out the 2026 tournament. 

Match Points

• Lindsey Devine enters 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. 

• At the end of the 2025 season, Makayla Bays ranked first in the SoCon with 45 service aces and second with .40 aces per set, 3.92 kills per set, 506.5 points, 4.48 points per set, and 443 total kills. 

• Devine's 2026 coaching staff consists of Aaron Giorgi who is in his third season with the program and former ETSU Buc Isabella Iosua who joins the staff this season. 

• At the end of the 2025 season, the Bucs were ranked first in the conference in nine categories: aces per set (1.66), assists per set (12.39), hitting percentage (.238), kills per set (13.23), match W-L percentage (.767), opponent hitting percentage (.177), team assists (1,400), team kills (1,495), and team service aces (188).

Scouting report

• Akron went 16-13 overall in the 2025 season and 9-9 in MAC play. 

• The Bucs are 2-1 all-time against Akron, with the last meeting being a 3-1 Akron win on Sept. 5, 2025.

• Auburn went 17-11 in the previous season and 7-8 in the SEC. 

• The Bucs are 0-1 all-time against the Tigers, with the first and only meeting being a 3-0 Auburn win in the 2004 season.

• Auburn's Lauren Dreves was named to the preseason All-SEC team as the Tigers were chosen seventh in the preseason coaches poll. 

• Liberty went 20-10 in the 2025 season, and 8-8 in Conference USA play. 

• ETSU is 7-4 all-time against the Flames, with the last matchup being a 3-0 Liberty win on Sept. 13, 2024.

• The Flames were chosen second in the CUSA preseason poll, as Jenna Otts, Carly O'Brien, and Paige Overcash were CUSA preseason all-conference selections.