Varsity Volleyball | 8/22/2024 8:49:00 AM

#9 UMS-Wright vs #2 Trinity
PAC Gym - 4:00 PM

The ASWA preseason Volleyball rankings put the UMS-Wright Lady Bulldogs at #9 to start the year, while their season opening oppenent Trinity starts the year at #2.  The top-10 matchup this afternoon in the PAC gym is just the beginning of a very challenging slate for the Lady Bulldogs to start the 2024 campaign.

On Friday, UMS-Wright will travel to Hoover for the state's premier early season Volleyball tournament, the Juanita Boddie Invitational.  Played at the Finlay Center in Hoover, the invite only tournament features 76 teams placed into 16 pools for opening round play.  The Bulldogs are in Pool 3 with Hoover (7A #4), Brewer (5A #7) and Mosley, FL (5A).  They will open up with Hoover (Friday - 5:00 PM) and then face Mosley (Friday - 8:00 PM) and Brewer (Saturday - 11:00 AM) before their seeding determines their bracket.

Along with the preseason ranking for the team, several individual players were also recognized to start the year. Hope Blaylock, Josie Jaye and Chandler Thomas were named to the AHSVCA pre-season watch list that selects the All-State and Player of the Year awards at the end of the season.  

Coach Wing Brett was recently named the Interim Head Coach, and had this to say about the season:

The Lady Bulldogs are coming off last year's 28-13 record and a Runner-Up finish in the AHSAA 4A State Championship. This year the Lady Bulldogs move up to compete in the AHSAA 5A classification with 3 new teams in their Area - Williamson, BC Rain &Elberta. I'm excited for the oppotunity to lead the Lady Bulldogs for the 2024 season. The team is anchored by a large senior group led by middle hitter Josie Jaye, defensive specialists Hope Blaylock and Campbell Myers, setter Gracie Reynolds and right side Madelyn Audia. With high expectations for the 2024 season, the Lady Bulldogs will be searching for a line-up combination that will lead to a run at the very competitive AHSAA 5A State Championship.