The Terps look to start off the season strong with a tournament sweep.
Nonconference play has consistently been the strength of Maryland volleyball. The Terps have gone a combined 31-5 over the last three seasons in such games. Head coach Adam Hughes hopes to continue this trend in the 2024 campaign.
Maryland opens its season with the LSU tournament, heading down to Baton Rouge. The three-game stretch begins on Aug. 30, where it will take on Troy at 11 a.m., followed by LSU later that day at 8 p.m. Closing out the tournament, the Terps play New Hampshire on Aug. 31 at 1 p.m.
Troy Trojans (15-13, 12-4 Sun Belt)
Eighth-year head coach Josh Lauer looks to continue last season’s successful campaign. The Trojans finished second in the west division behind Texas State, going 9-3 against division opponents. Lauer has led his squad to five straight winning seasons, earning three berths in the NIVC (National Invitational Volleyball Championship).
Players to watch
Tori Hester, senior outside hitter, No. 10 — Last season, Hester was one of the best players in the Sun Belt, earning a first-team All-Conference bid. She led the team with 442 kills, 45 service aces and 509 points, which finished second, third and third in the Sun Belt. Hester is the Trojans’ top option on offense. Look for Maryland to double-team her at the net.
Janelle Stuempfig, junior setter, No. 16 — Stuempfig took a big step up last season, playing in just six games the year before to a locked-in starter. Her assist totals jumped from 36 to 1,084, placing her fourth in the Sun Belt. Stuempfig was a three-time Sun Belt Setter of the Week and made the All-Conference second team last year.
LSU Tigers (11-17, 6-12 SEC)
Fresh off a disappointing season, third-year head coach Tonya Johnson hopes to rebound and lead LSU back to the NCAA tournament. In her first year under the helm, the Tigers went 16-14 and made the second round of the NCAA tournament. Last season, LSU fell short of expectations and finished 10th in the SEC. Johnson will look to start the season off strong, taking care of business at home.
Players to watch
Jurnee Robinson, sophomore outside hitter, No. 5 — Robinson had a freshman campaign to remember. The 6-foot-1, South Carolina native led the team in kills with 391 and points with 450, good for fourth in the SEC. She became the third player in program history to receive the AVCA South Freshman of the Year. Robinson also made the SEC All-Freshman team, and will lead the team on the outside this year.
Bailey Ortega, graduate student setter, No. 2 — After transferring in from Iowa, Ortega looks to be the starting setter. She tallied 2,174 assists over four seasons, placing her ninth all-time in Iowa history. The Tigers have two other setters on the roster, but both are freshmen. With heavy roster turnover and last year’s setter Maddie Waak transferring out, Ortega will need to elevate a young team.
New Hampshire Wildcats (18-9, 7-3 America East)
After five straight winning seasons, the Wildcats, led by sixth-year head coach Christopher Feliciano, look to take the next step and earn a NCAA tournament bid. New Hampshire finished second in its conference last season behind UMBC, the lone America East team in the NCAA tournament.
Players to watch
Hannah Serbousek, graduate student outside hitter, No. 8 — Earning an America East first-team All-Conference bid last season, Serbousek was the go-to player for the Wildcats. She led the team in kills and points with 274 and 317, good for sixth and seventh in the American East. She also finished third on the team with 222 digs.
Avery LePore, junior libero, No. 20 — Coming off the bench in all but five games, LePore was the leader of the second unit. She led the team in digs with 363, tallying the third-best mark in the conference. LePore also had 66 assists, placing her third on the team. She figures to be one of the best defensive players on the team again.
Three things to watch
1. How much of an impact will roster chemistry play? The Terps return 14 of their 16 players from last year, including all six of their regular starters. The chemistry should be present from the get-go, especially between setter Sydney Dowler and the outside hitters.
2. Will the Terps continue their nonconference dominance? Maryland heads into the year with only five nonconference losses over the last three seasons. It will look to continue this trend and handle business against three solid opponents.
3. What version of Anastasia Russ will we see? The 6-foot-5 middle blocker had a down year last season after a strong 2022 campaign. If she returns to her form from two seasons ago, the Terps should be one of the better-blocking teams in the Big Ten.