ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The Winthrop University volleyball team prepares for a bout atop the Big South preseason rankings, taking on High Point on Friday at 6:00 p.m. in the furniture capital of the world. The Eagles round out this conference weekend with a trek up to Virginia, battling against Radford, on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS HIGH POINT
The two programs have a long and storied history facing off against each other, with the first battle between the Panthers and the Eagles occurring in the Winthrop Volleyball inaugural season of 1971, seeing the Eagles win 2-1. The most recent matchup happened last year, a five-set thriller of number one against number two in the Big South Tournament Championship Match, having High Point take the match 3-2. Winthrop holds the all-time series record at 39-31.
Winthrop has not beaten High Point in this decade, last winning against the Panthers in 2019
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS RADFORD
Winthrop holds the all-time series margin over the Highlanders, 41-37. October of 1985 is when these two schools first faced off, having the Eagles take home the victory, 2-1. The last time the two played was on Nov. 2 in Radford, having the Eagles take a close three-set sweep.
The Eagles have not lost to Radford since 2018, only allowing the Highlanders to take three total sets in the last eleven matchups
FOOT NOTES
- High Point holds the 14th longest home victory streak in the nation, with ten consecutive wins at home
- Winthrop is the best team in the Big South when it comes to hitting percentage, ranking first in the conference with a .230 mark
- The Eagles also hold the top spot in assists per set, 12.09, and the best winning percentage in the Big South, .636
- Avery Jolley continues to lead the charge for the Eagles, ranking first in the conference in kills per set at a mark of 3.52, first in the conference with 10.68 attacks per set, and second in points per set, 4.08
- Avery Jolley captured her second Big South Player of the Week honor (Sept. 29)
- Jolley led the Big South last week with a 20-kill performance in the conference opener against Gardner-Webb, hitting at a .400 clip
- One Eagle sits on the cusp of reaching a career milestone; Jolley 13 kills away from the 1K mark
- Giselle Little showcased her elite efficiency against Gardner-Webb, setting a new program record for hitting percentage in a five-set match with a mark of .647
- Giselle Little sits in third place for the conference lead in hitting percentage, with a mark of 0.360
- Teagan Sychterz also ranks in the top ten of a respective conference category, ninth in blocks per set, 0.95, facing the leader Maya Bukovcan of High Point on the other side of the net
- Teagan Sychterz set a new program record for most blocks in a four-set match with 12 blocks against Queens on Saturday afternoon
- Sophia Matthews rounds out the top ten marks in conference ranks, with a tenth-place spot in total digs at a mark of 155
- Laila Glover reached 500 career kills against Gardner-Webb with a nine-kill effort on Friday night
- Sophia Matthews achieved 500 career digs against Western Carolina on Thursday night
- Head coach Heather Gearhart eclipsed 50 career victories with the win over Alabama State
- Isabella Murray surpassed the 3,000 career assists mark, becoming the seventh in program history to do so
- Rachel McCollum tallied the first triple-double since 2012 for the Eagles on Friday against Alabama State, 16 kills, 23 assists and 10 digs
- Avery Jolley captured Big South Player of the Week honors for the week of Sept. 15
- Jolley hit .354 with 52 kills (4.73 per set), 27 digs (2.45 per set) and 59.5 points (5.41 per set) in three matches last week, capped off by setting a career-high 24 kills against Furman on Saturday
- Rachel McCollum and Isabella Murray were tabbed Big South Setters of the Week for the week of Sept. 15
- The duo of McCollum and Murray accounted for 129 assists over the weekend -- 85 percent of the Eagles assists). McCollum amassed 72 total assists in 11 sets played, along with 32 kills and 25 digs. McCollum had a near triple-double against Furman with nine kills, 21 assists and 12 digs.
- Murray totaled 57 assists in seven sets played (8.14 per set) in her appearances against Alabama State and Furman.
- Paige Bennett totaled a career-high 21 kills against Charlotte on Aug. 30, with a .528 hitting percentage
- Winthrop opens the year as ranked as preseason number one in the 2025 Big South preseason poll
- First time atop of the Big South poll since 2007
- The Eagles returns all its top contributors in the categories of kills (Avery Jolley, 320), assists (Isabella Murray, 963), digs (Sophia Matthews, 397), and blocks (Maeve Rehmann, 58)
- 81.5% of total kills remain rostered for 2025
- 81% of total digs are back for the 2025 season
- Last year, Eagles ranked third in the nation in digs per set, 18.84
- Eagles return 10 players from last year's roster, which includes
- Seven of the top eight Eagles in sets played are back in 2025
- Isabella Murray played all 91 sets for the Eagles last year
- Murray was tabbed as the 2024 Big South Setter of the Year
- Rachel McCollum appeared in all but one set (90) for the Eagles, named to 2024 Big South All-Tournament Team
- Jolley earned First Team All-Conference honors and earned the Big South Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year (first time since Pohai Nu'uhiwa did so in 2007)
- Giselle Little showcased elite efficiency in her freshman year,144 kills on just 397 swings (.374)
- Little was listed on the Honorable Mention All-Conference and was named to the Big South All-Freshman Team
- Sophia Matthews led the Eagles in digs in her as a freshman, 397
- Matthews earned Big South All-Freshman Team and was named on the Big South All-Tournament Team
- Alyah Cadavid is fourth amongst returners in digs with 147
- Maeve Rehmann and Paige Bennett round out the standout returners on the offensive side with 116 and 112, respectfully
- The Eagles have made the Big South postseason tournament for the last seven years
- Winthrop has six conference titles, tied for second most in Big South history and tied for the most of all active Big South members (Tied with Radford)
- This is the 54th season of Eagle Volleyball, with these matches being the 1841st and 1842nd
- Heather Gearhart enters her fourth season, one as an interim head coach and the last three as head coach
- Winthrop holds an 1095-744 record all-time (.595)
2025 HONORS
- Avery Jolley
- Big South Preseason Player of the Year
- Preseason All-Conference
- Winthrop Invitational All-Tournament Team
- Big South Player of the Week (Sept. 15)
- Furman Invitational All-Tournament Team
- Big South Player of the Week (Sept. 29)
- Isabella Murray
- Big South Preseason Setter of the Year
- Preseason All-Conference
- Big South Setter of the Week (Sept. 15)
- Sophia Matthews
- Big South Preseason Co-Libero of the Year
- Preseason All-Conference
- Giselle Little
- Paige Bennett
- Winthrop Invitational All-Tournament Team
- Rachel McCollum
- Furman Invitational All-Tournament Team
- Big South Setter of the Week (Sept. 15)
ALUMNI WEEKEND
All former players, coaches, and staff members of the Winthrop volleyball program are invited for Alumni Weekend Oct. 24. The Eagles will have a home match on Friday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. versus Radford.
SEASON TICKETS
Lock in your seat for every serve, spike and set this season! Winthrop Volleyball season tickets are now on sale. Don't miss a single home match inside the Winthrop Coliseum as the Eagles take flight in 2025. Secure your spot today and be part of the action all season long.
Purchase Here!
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