Women's Volleyball 8/23/2024 7:57:00 AM

OAKWOOD VOLLEYBALL OPENS SEASON THIS MORNING AT RUNNING EAGLE CLASSICS

MARIETTA, Ga. – Oakwood University will participate in the Running Eagle Volleyball Classic this morning starting at 9 against Brenau College on the Life University campus.

The Ambassadors finished 7-15 last season, improving their win total by five games from the previous year. This season, second-year coach Takhera Sanders, believes her team will be even better.

"We're more athletic and our knowledge of the game is significantly higher," Sanders said. "We're communicating better on the floor and that will allow us to be more competitive."

Setter Cameryn Bucknor, a junior from Huntsville, leads a talented group of six returnees.

Bucknor, an honorable-mention All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference performer last season, is expected to be one of the top players in the newly-named HBCU Athletic Conference.

Along with Bucknor, senior outside hitter Dorian Birch, junior outside hitter Anna Jones, junior liberos Arial Smith and Miriangie Rondon and sophomore middle blocker Mona Okello will be counted on heavily to lead the way.

"Cameryn, Anna, Mona and Arial have stepped up a whole lot," Sanders said. "We expect big things from them."

While Oakwood lost two outstanding freshmen from last year's team in middle hitter Trinity Williams, who led the team in kills, and Shaniya Brown, who led the team in digs, Sanders signed a trio to newcomers she believes are just as good or better.

Freshmen Cequoyah Harris (Forest Park, GA), Shania McElvey (San Diego, CA) and Kamaria Murray (Murfreesboro TN) have been standouts during preseason practice. Harris and Murray, Sanders said, are expected to start at the middle hitter positions, while McElvey will see time at libero.

"They're going to be game changers for us," she said.

Sanders hopes she can be a game changer as well.

"I really educated myself over the offseason," she said. "I learned new drills and coaching strategies. I worked really hard to make myself better."

Sanders knows she will have to be and so will her team.

"Our schedule is more difficult than it was a year ago," she said. "We play a number of quality Division II teams and our conference has improved. We're going to have to be mentally tough to get through it."

After an early game against Brenau College, Oakwood will take on Florida National today at 11 and then play St. Andrews College at 3 p.m.

"This tournament will be a good test for us," Sanders said.

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