Last year, Arizona volleyball had to hold its intrasquad scrimmage in front of limited observers in the Richard Jefferson Gymnasium due to construction in McKale Center. There was construction again this year, but it finished in time for the Wildcats to play the Red-Blue game in front of a full crowd on Saturday. As an added bonus, it will be the first official event held on the newly renovated floors.
Arizona Athletics installed new floors during the offseason. They prominently feature the traditional cactus logo. Fans had input into the final design, and now they finally get the chance to see the floors that CBS Sports called the best in the country up close and in person.
The volleyball team is coming off a highly successful season that ended with its first postseason title. The Wildcats were disappointed not to make the NCAA Tournament, but refocused and defeated all comers to take the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) in front of their home fans last December.
Up Next for Arizona Volleyball
When: Saturday, Aug. 16 at 2 p.m. MST
Where: McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz.
The team that takes the floor on Saturday will return all but two starters from the NIVC run. Gone are opposite Jaelyn Hodge and middle blocker Alayna Johnson. Also gone is Kiari Robey, who started at middle blocker for much of the season but did not take part in the NIVC. There is plenty of firepower back, though.
Setter Avery Scoggins and outside hitter Carlie Cisneros were two of the best freshmen in the Big 12 last year. They were joined by fellow freshman Brenna Ginder in almost every set of Arizona’s 24-9 season. Other returning starters are preseason All-Big 12 honoree Jordan Wilson, junior middle blocker Journey Tucker, and redshirt senior libero Haven Wray.
Fans will get the opportunity to see how the returners have progressed, but there are new faces to learn, as well. Most of them are at the pins and in the middle.
Transfer Britt Carlson hopes to make up for the loss of Hodge on the right side. Sophomore Adrianna Bridges and freshman Maya Flemister will compete to step in for Johnson and Robey at middle blocker. Freshman Paige Thies will try to prove that she has what it takes to earn minutes behind Cisneros and Wilson on the left side. Freshman opposite Renee Jones joins the mix at opposite.
Arizona brought in two freshman defensive specialists who will battle for time. Brookelyn Hatton should play a prominent role at defensive specialist and push both Ginder and Wray for time at libero. Shea Davis will also compete at DS.
Freshman setter Chloe Giehtbrock will get her only opportunity to play in front of the fans this year during the early scrimmages. She came to Arizona with the intention of redshirting this season.
There are other returners who will push for time on the floor, too. Junior Sydnie Vanek arrived at Arizona as a pin and has played both pins during her first two years. She is now listed as a middle blocker on the roster.
While only 6-feet tall, Vanek is extremely athletic. She is also a long jumper on the Arizona track team and went to the Olympic track and field trials after her freshman season.
Vanek’s move to the middle gives head coach Rita Stubbs the four that she prefers to have on the roster. Stubbs attempted to get a middle from the portal this offseason but wasn’t successful.
Ana Heath came to Arizona as a setter. She spent her sophomore season as the starter at the position. As a senior, she will serve as the backup setter and battle for time at opposite.
Senior Giorgia Mandotti is in the mix as L/DS.
The program released the lineups for the two teams on Friday afternoon.
The Blue team features most of the returning starters, although not all of them are in the same positions they played last year. The team consists of Wilson and Cisneros on the outside, Heath at opposite, Scoggins at setter, Tucker, Vanek, and Bridges in the middle, and Ginder and Mandotti at L/DS.
The Red team has all of the freshmen mixed in with a few returners and a transfer. Thies, Jones, and Carlson will play the pins. Flemister is the only middle listed on the team. Giehtbrock will handle setting duties. Wray, Hatton, and Davis will play L/DS.
Admission to the scrimmage is free. The event will not be streamed or televised.
