CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Once again expectations are high for the reigning OVC champion Chattanooga beach volleyball squad as they racked up some well-deserved preseason recognition from the Ohio Valley Conference, the league office announced on Wednesday.
The Mocs were selected to finish first overall in the preseason poll (50 pts), nine points clear of UT Martin in second (41 pts) whilst having a grand total of eight players receive spots on the league's Preseason Watch List. This not only marks the first time in program history that Chattanooga has been selected to win the OVC in the league's preseason poll, but also marks a conference record for most preseason honorees for one team.
"We are grateful for the votes in this year's preseason poll," head coach Darin Van Horn said. "Preseason isn't the season though, and our players know that and are hungry to repeat what we were able to do last year.
"We are fortunate that we have many players returning, many of which are listed on the Preseason Watch List. I think that is the recognition I appreciate the most for this team. We can't win a dual with just one athlete or one pair, and for a lot of our athletes to be recognized for their contributions to our success; that's special."
Chattanooga is looking to carry the momentum from last year into the team's 2025 campaign, having wrapped up 2024 with a 9-1 record in conference and being crowned OVC regular season and tournament champions in the program's fifth year of existence.
UTC ended up going 19-10 overall in 2024, tying the program's highest single-season win total while also setting a new benchmark in program history for single-season win percentage (.655). The Mocs ultimately saw their season come to a close at the 2024 NCAA Tournament in Gulf Shores, Alabama, where they lost their opening round matchup to North Florida.
In total, the Mocs have returned eight of their usual ten starters from a season ago, and each of those eight student-athletes received spots on the OVC's Preseason Watch List. With a total of 21 players being recognized by the league, UTC came away with the highest total of honorees in the conference at eight with UT Martin acquiring the second-highest total with six honorees.
Leading the charge is senior standout Neva Clark. Clark has been a trailblazer for Chattanooga and the Ohio Valley Conference in many regards, as the Woodstock, Georgia, native became the first player in OVC history last season to be both a two-time Player of the Year as well as two-time Pair of the Year award-winner.
Clark has been formidable on the sand, playing the entire 2024 season in the No. 1 position alongside partner Corina Vale. The duo finished the season with a 15-12 overall record, including a dominant 9-1 mark in OVC matches, and even came away with being named as the OVC Tournament MVPs thanks to their efforts in helping the Mocs secure the OVC title.
Vale, coming off her rookie campaign a season ago, proved to be a top prospect in the league having raked in OVC Freshman of the Year, OVC Pair of the Year, All-OVC First Team, OVC Tournament MVP, OVC All-Tournament Team honors. She marked the first player in program history to receive Freshman of the Year honors.
Playing primarily alongside Clark in UTC's Court 1 pairing, Vale wrapped up her freshman season 14-5 overall.
The Delray Beach, Florida, native McKenna Faychak is now a junior and her accomplishments on and off the sand have only grown each season adding to the hype. An All-OVC First Team and OVC All-Tournament Team honoree last season, Faychak was dominant on the sand as well as in the classroom as she ended up concluding the 2023-24 academic year with a perfect 4.0 GPA as well.
Faychak ended up finishing 18-10 in 2024, mainly as one half of UTC's No. 2 pairing. She would also finish with a 9-1 conference record for the Mocs.
Maddie Lecik heavily assisted the Mocs on their quest to become OVC Champions last season going 14-6 on Court 3 with her partner Joy Courtright. Lecik concluded the season with a 16-10 record overall alongside a 8-2 OVC record, securing herself a spot on the All-OVC Second Team.
Courtright also nabbed a spot having played a majority of the 2024 season alongside Lecik on Court 3. A Second Team All-OVC honoree last season, Courtright is two seasons removed from having been one half of the 2023 OVC Pair of the Year when she played alongside Clark in UTC's No. 1 duo. Courtright finished 2024 with a record of 15-11 (8-2).
A familiar face for fans of the Chattanooga indoor volleyball team, grad student Paige Gallentine has also taken to becoming a household name in the beach volleyball scene as the Fenton, Michigan, native is the next Moc to be recognized on the Preseason Watch List.
Gallentine finished 18-10 last season playing predominantly in the No. 4 position with Kit Gresham. She wound up receiving a place on the All-OVC Second Team for her efforts last year, a season that's even more impressive when considering Gallentine missed the entire 2023 beach season due to injury.
Gallentine's Court 4 partner, Kit Gresham, also earned a spot on the OVC Watch List. Greshman led the Mocs in total wins last season after going 19-9 overall as well as 9-1 in conference play. She, like Gallentine, received Second Team All-OVC honors in 2024.
And finally, rounding out UTC's OVC Watch List honorees is sophomore Julia Lawrence. As a freshman last year, Lawrence was a crucial cog in Chattanooga's success as a team whilst playing with UTC alum Morgan Romano in the No. 5 position.
Going a staggering 17-1 overall as well as 8-1 in Ohio Valley Conference matches, Lawrence took the league and nation by storm as the then-rookie strung together a 16-match win streak alongside Romano. For their efforts, Lawrence and Romano were named as an AVCA Top Flight Pair in the No. 5 position, marking the first Top Flight Pair in program history.
UTC beach volleyball is set to travel to Jacksonville, Florida, next week to open up the 2025 season at the DUUUVAL DUALS, running February 28-March 1. The Mocs open their season on Friday, February 28 with neutral site matchups against Jacksonville and Mercer before rounding out the weekend on Saturday versus Saint Leo and an NCAA Tournament rematch against North Florida.
2025 OVC PRESEASON POLL
1. Chattanooga - 50 pts (10)
2. UT Martin - 41 pts (2)
3. Lindenwood - 34 pts
4. Morehead State - 27 pts
5. Tennessee Tech - 18 pts
6. Eastern Illinois - 10 pts
() denotes first-place votes
2025 OVC PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Neva Clark, Sr. - Chattanooga
Joy Courtright, Sr. – Chattanooga
McKenna Faychak, Jr. Chattanooga
Paige Gallentine, Gr. - Chattanooga
Kit Gresham, Sr. - Chattanooga
Julia Lawrence, So. - Chattanooga
Maddie Lecik, Jr. - Chattanooga
Corina Vale, So. - Chattanooga
Kaitlyn Flynn, Sr. - Eastern Illinois
Abby VanBuskirk, Sr. - Lindenwood
Nyah Wilson, Sr. - Lindenwood
M.E. Hargan, Jr. – Morehead State
Peighton Isley, Sr. - Morehead State
Sydney Wyman, R-Jr. - Morehead State
Bella Powell, Sr. - Tennessee Tech
Dylan Mott, R-Sr. – UT Martin
Sydney Eckhardt, Sr. - UT Martin
Ryan Rednour, Gr. - UT Martin
Olivia O'Keefe, Gr. – UT Martin
Jenna Vallee, Gr. - UT Martin
Reagan McGee, So. - UT Martin
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