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OU Volleyball Preview 2025 Update

2025 OAKWOOD VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW

AMBASSADORS VISIT TALLADEGA COLLEGE FRIDAY IN HBCUAC OPENER

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Oakwood University volleyball has advanced to its conference tournament each of the last three years. Unfortunately, each of the last three years, the Ambassadors have come up empty.
 
Wayne Bucknor plans to change all that.
 
Bucknor was elevated to head coach back in May. His daughter, Cameryn Bucknor, is a senior setter for the Ambassadors.
 
Cameryn is one of eight returners from last year's team, including five seniors, that finished 10-18 overall and 8-7 in the HBCU Athletic Conference.
 
"We've got a great nucleus coming back," said Bucknor, who served as an assistant last season. "We've been competitive. Now, we've got to find a way to get over the hump and win come tournament time."
 
Entering its fourth year in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Oakwood has improved every year.
 
The Ambassadors finished 2-15 in 2022 in its first season in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, but made huge strides its second year, finishing 7-15.
 
The GCAC changed its name to the HBCU Athletic Conference prior to last season and the Ambassadors had their best season yet, finishing 10-18 overall, winning more games than they had each of the last two years combined.
 
Still, they couldn't find a way to win come tournament time, falling to Philander Smith 3-1 in the first round.
 
But Bucknor and company hope to flip the script this season.
 
"We've proven we can be competitive," he said. "Now, we've got to carry it a step forward and prove we can be win when it really counts."
 
Cameryn, along with seniors Anna Jones, Myah Beasley, Arial Smith and Miriangie Rondon will shoulder much of the load, along with sophomore Kamaria Murray and junior Mona Okello.
 
Murray, a middle hitter from Murfreesboro, Tenn., was named second-team All-HBCUAC last season.
 
She finished sixth in the league in kills (192), sixth in kills per set (2.16), sixth in points, (231.5) and eighth in points per set (2.6).
 
Meanwhile, Bucknor was named Honorable Mention All-HBCUAC. She finished fourth in the league in assists (475), sixth in assists per set (5.34), seventh in digs (277) and ninth in digs per set (3.11).

Okello, an outside hitter from Kansas City, KS., finished third on the team with 125 kills and third in points with 158.
 
Jones is an outside hitter/middle blocker, while Beasley is a setter/libero. Smith and Rondon are defensive specialists as well.
 
The Ambassadors open the season at HBCUAC rival Talladega College Friday in the Labor Day Tournament. First serve is 10 a.m.
 
Follow the Ambassadors
Visit the official home of Oakwood University athletics at Oakwood University - Official Athletics Website.
 
 
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