WISE, Va. – The UVA Wise Volleyball team is set to begin its 2023 season at the David J. Prior Convocation Center Thursday in the inaugural Cavalier Classic.
Second year head coach Alyssa Hanley returns to the Cavalier Volleyball program with high hopes for the new season. The Cavs are coming off a 2022 season that consisted of a 6-18 (2-17) record. The six wins were the most in program history since the Cavs went 6-24 in 2017.
"It wasn't necessarily the amount of wins that we would've wanted, but overall I think it was a successful season. I think we got out of it what we wanted to, there was just a lot of newness," said Hanley.
The Cavs will start the season with the 2023 Cavalier Classic, which will feature UVA Wise, Concord University (W. Va.), Lees-McRae College (N.C.), Davis & Elkins College (W. Va.) and Johnson C. Smith University (N.C.).
This year's tournament will serve as the first-ever establishment of UVA Wise's Cavalier Classic. Tournament format will consist of the five universities all facing each other in a round robin format.
"I think that's always a good way to kick off the season is to play at home. It's always great for the players, it's exciting. It's the first weekend and we're here for all of their friends and families to come and watch them play four matches over the weekend," said Hanley.
Some new faces are set to make their first appearance with UVA Wise this season. Hanley and the volleyball program are welcoming first year assistant coach Carly Kempton to the team.
"I'm really excited about Carly. She's got great experience in college and her being from Wisconsin, a totally different area from here and where I'm from even, she brings really good creative, new and fresh ideas to us," said Hanley.
This season will be Kempton's just second coaching stint outside of her native state of Wisconsin since graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2016.
On the player front, this season is headlined by Preseason All-SAC selection, sophomore Bailey Conner, and lone senior Cassidy Farley.
Conner was selected to the Preseason All-SAC Third Team on July 16. The sophomore comes back to UVA Wise after finishing her debut season with 154 kills, 13 aces and 120 digs. Conner led all Cavaliers in kills last season, while leading the outside hitters in hitting percentage at .205. Her 13 aces were third on the team and second among freshmen.
Farley begins her senior season as the lead defender on UVA Wise. Last season, Farley led in total blocks with 65. She also led the team in solo blocks (20) and block assists (45). Farley can swing it on the offense too as she racked up 95 kills on a .249 hitting percentage.
UVA Wise will debut 4 newcomers this season. The four freshmen suiting up in the red and black for the first time this year are Abigail Curtis, Riley Brandon, Serina Petersen and Emma Edwards.
The freshmen bring some new life to the program as they each join the team from a different native home state. Curtis is the furthest traveler, coming to Wise from Schoolcraft, MI which is a mere 550 miles from UVA Wise's campus. Edwards and Petersen have still made long treks from Warrenton, Va. and Huntsville, Ala. respectively. Finally, Brandon is much closer to home in Kingsport, Tenn. just over an hour away from UVA Wise.
After the Cavalier Classic, UVA Wise will head on the road for its first SAC matchup with Tusculum University on Sep. 5 at 7 p.m. in Greenville, Tenn. They'll host the SAC home opener on Saturday, Sep. 16 at 2 p.m. against Limestone University
