Wofford tabbed as preseason SoCon volleyball favorite

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford was picked as the favorite to win the 2025 Southern Conference volleyball title in preseason voting by the league’s nine head coaches. The coaches also selected an eight-member preseason all-conference team. Due to a tie in the voting, two additional players were named to the preseason squad.

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players in the balloting.

Wofford, the two-time defending SoCon tournament champion, received five first-place votes and 61 points, claiming the top spot in the preseason poll. Samford collected three first-place votes and 54 points, finishing second in the poll. ETSU secured 51 points, taking the third spot in the poll. Furman received the final first-place vote along with 47 points, placing the Paladins in the fourth spot. UNCG and Chattanooga tied for fifth after each got 29 points in the poll. Mercer, the defending regular-season champion, was eighth with 18 points. Western Carolina rounded out the poll with 12 points.

The Wofford Terriers are coming off a 23-9 overall record and a 12-4 mark in conference play in 2024, concluding their season with their second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Wofford placed a league-best three selections on the preseason all-conference team. The players are Laney Klika, the reigning SoCon Libero of the Year, Bradley Brown, and Bri Mahoney. Klika led the league in digs in 2024 with 615. Last season, Brown finished the season in the top 10 in the SoCon in blocks, while Mahoney was in the top 20 in kills and digs in the league. Brown made the SoCon all-freshman team in 2024, and Mahoney was an all-tournament team selection.

Samford went 15-12 overall and 9-7 in SoCon matches a season ago. Outside hitter Kaleigh Meritt was selected to the preseason all-conference team. Merritt, who has been an all-conference selection in each of the past two seasons, was fourth in the conference in kills last season with 371.

ETSU had a 10-6 mark in SoCon matches and a 19-11 overall record in 2024. The Bucs, who are under the direction of the 2024 SoCon Coach of the Year Lindsey Devine, put outside hitter Brianna Cantrell and middle blocker/right side Whitley Rammel on the preseason team.

Furman middle blocker Izzy Castelloe, Mercer outside hitter/right side Sophia Henry, UNCG outside hitter Allie Sweet and Chattanooga middle blocker Kynli Kirkendoll rounded out the preseason all-conference team.

The 2025 regular season begins on Friday, Aug. 29, with all nine teams in action.

The SoCon Volleyball Championship will be on Nov. 20-23 at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville in Asheville, North Carolina. The 2025 volleyball championship marks the first time in the conference’s history that the tournament will be hosted exclusively at a neutral location for all teams. A first-round match between the No. 8 and No. 9 seed will be played on Nov. 20, with the quarterfinals slated for Nov. 21. The semifinal matches will be held on Nov. 22, and the final is set to be played on Nov. 23.

2025 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll

() denotes first-place votes
 
2025 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Brianna Cantrell, ETSU, OH

Whitley Rammel, ETSU, MB/RS

Izzy Castelloe, Furman, MB

Sophia Henry, Mercer, OH/RS

Allie Sweet, UNCG, OH

Kaleigh Meritt, Samford, OH

Kynli Kirkendoll, Chattanooga, MB

Bradley Brown, Wofford, MB

Laney Klika, Wofford, LIB

Bri Mahoney, Wofford, OH