SPARTANBURG, S.C. --- It is officially postseason play for the Chattanooga volleyball team this weekend, as the Mocs enter the Southern Conference Tournament as the No. 7 seed, pitting UTC against tournament host and No. 2 seed Wofford.
The Mocs finished their season 17-14 with a 7-9 SoCon record. Now having the tall task of taking on the league runners-up in Wofford, who are now hosting this year's tournament after a venue change from Asheville due to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Mocs will have to lay it all on the line this Friday to keep the team's 2024 season alive.
Head coach Julie Torbett Thomas is no stranger to making runs in the SoCon Tournament, with Torbett Thomas having led the Mocs to back-to-back appearances in the tournament semifinals in each of her first two years with the program. Not only will she look to make that a third-straight semifinal appearance for UTC, but Torbett Thomas is aiming to guide the Mocs to their first SoCon title game appearance since 2016 and first SoCon Tournament crown since 1998.
Friday's Southern Conference Tournament Quarterfinals against the Terriers is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. ET at the earliest, but that is subject to change with two matches set to take place prior to UTC's on the day. Match coverage will be provided by ESPN+ and live stats will also be available to fans by Wofford Athletics.
MATCH CENTRAL
Friday, November 22 | vs. #2 Wofford | 4:30 p.m. ET | Stats | Stream
SERIES HISTORY
Wofford: 34-17 (2-1 in SoCon Tournament)
(Last time: October 24, 2024 – 0-3 L)
(Last time in SoCon Tournament: Nov. 18, 2023 – 0-3 L)
ONE OF THE SOCON'S, AND THE NCAA'S, FINEST
Paige Gallentine's illustrious career has culminated in her final push for a Southern Conference title this weekend. The Fenton, Michigan, native has already done about everything a libero could achieve in the UTC record book , with the senior currently sitting second all-time on the Mocs' career digs leaderboard at 2,693. This ranks Gallentine as the program's all-time leader for career digs for the modern era of scoring (25-point set, sideout scoring). Gallentine has even emerged as one of the NCAA's greatest of all time at the libero position, with her career digs total currently ranking 14th on the NCAA's all-time career digs list. With another 23 digs, Gallentine would officially move into the NCAA's Top 10 all-time in career digs, cementing her legacy in collegiate volleyball.
A CUT ABOVE THE REST
Setter Elaine Redman has been a player to marvel at for UTC this season, with the senior having tallied 1,212 total assists in 2024, which is enough to rank as the fifth-most in a single season in program history. Redman actively ranks third in the entire NCAA when it comes to total assists this year, while her 10.18 assists/set average ranks second in the SoCon and 42nd in the nation.
FRESHIE'S GOT GAME
True freshman middle blocker Kynli Kirkendoll has quickly solidified herself as a stone wall upfront for the UTC defense, with Kirkendoll having tallied a team-high 98 total blocks this season. With two more blocks, Kirkendoll would become just the third Chattanooga volleyball freshman to surpass 100 total blocks in her rookie season, joining second place Marcelle Baez-Carlo's 112 blocks in 2021 and Natalie Reiniche's freshman record of 119 total blocks in 1995. Kirkendoll's 31 solo blocks this season already mark the most in a single season by a Moc, regardless of class, since Carmen Walker recorded 34 in 1999.
ABOUT WOFFORD
The Terriers wrapped up the 2024 regular season with a 20-8 overall record that included going 12-4 in SoCon play, finishing as the league runners-up on the year. Wofford has now posted 20-win seasons in back-to-back years for the first time in program history at the Division I level, while their 12-4 league mark is the team's best record in SoCon play ever. The Terriers are a dynamic offensive team, leading the SoCon in kills/set (13.46) and assists/set (12.44). Not only that, but Wofford's 18.58 digs/set as a team actively ranks fourth in the entire NCAA. Some key players to look out for in the Wofford lineup include libero Laney Klika, who ranks second in the SoCon behind Paige Gallentine in digs/set (5.21) this season, as well as Sarah MacLean, who actively leads the league in hitting percentage (.353).
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
- Elaine Redman has officially moved up into fourth all-time in career assists for Chattanooga, having logged 3,086 assists during her time with the Mocs. Redman is now chasing Lauren Greenspoon (2014-17) for third on the program's all-time leaderboard. Greenspoon sits at 3,316 assists with the Mocs.
- Redman's career assist total currently sits at 4,143 when including her time at Toledo. She ranks 28th on the NCAA Division I active career assists leaderboard.
- Paige Gallentine actively ranks 14th in NCAA history when it comes to career digs, sitting at 2,693. Another 23 digs from Gallentine would see her jump into the NCAA's Top 10 all-time.
- Gallentine also now officially ranks tied for fourth in program history in career aces with 133. She needs another nine to tie Allie Davenport (2013-16), who had 142, for third all-time.
- Marcelle Baez-Carlo needs nine total blocks to officially enter UTC's Top 10 in career blocks (she currently has 261).
- Baez-Carlo has entered the program's Top 10 all-time in career block assists, with her total of 228 ranking ninth in program history. Eight more and she would tie Dani Szczepanski (201619) for eighth all-time.
- With two more wins, Julie Torbett Thomas would tie herself with Tony Jardin as the third-winningest head coach in program history (55 wins).
- Redman has recorded 1,212 assists for the Mocs this season, which ranks as the fifth-most in a single season in program history. Another 89 and she will move into fourth all-time.
- Gallentine's 624 total digs in 2024 currently rank tied for seventh in a single season in program history. She'd need 30 more to move up into sixth.
- Kynli Kirkendoll needs another eight more solo blocks to enter the program's Top 10 for single-season solo blocks. She currently sits at 31 on the year.
- If the season were to end today, both Kynli Kirkendoll and Chard'e Vanzandt would enter the program's Top 10 for single-season hitting percentage. The duo are currently tied with .343 hitting percentages, which would tie the duo for fourth in program history if the season wrapped up right now.
- Redman has logged a total of 1,084 digs in her career, with 847 of those coming with the Mocs. This not only ranks as the most by a UTC setter in program history, but it holds a candle to many of the other career dig totals posted by Chattanooga's liberos (UTC's 10th all-time in career digs, Dominique Mayor, posted 1,265 in her career).
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