New to Dalton State volleyball this year will be (from left) Brooke Elizabeth Thomas, Taylor Dowdell, Kayla Renee Wimpee, Ryan Burke, Cassandra Kaye Cox, and Julia Spier Borges
The Southern States Athletic Conference announced the conference Preseason Volleyball Poll on Monday with Dalton State ranked in the middle of the pack with 78 points.
Perennial powerhouse Coastal Georgia will start the season on top of the SSAC rankings with 116 points and 8 of the 11 First-Place Votes. The University of Mobile is second with 112 points and the remaining three votes for first.
Faulkner (96) and Bethel (88) are ahead of the Roadrunners. The remainder of the SSAC teams were Loyola (67 pts.), Martin Methodist (49 pts.), Brenau (48 pts.), William Carey and Middle Georgia tied for 9th with 26 points each, and Brewton-Parker (20 pts.)
Dalton State Volleyball will have two scrimmages late this season before opening with a Tri-Match at Covenant College on Lookout Mountain on August 27th. They will start that event at 10:00 a.m. against the hosts from Covenant. The second match will at 12 noon against Reinhardt University.
“I am extremely excited about the upcoming season,” said DS Coach Bruna Langner. “So far, our team is doing great during preseason. All of the girls came to us in very good shape and they have been working really hard. I can also say that they have very good chemistry. I can hardly wait for our first match.”
There are two seniors on this year’s team. Clarissa Weber is a 5’7 setter from Brazil and Karly Newman is a 5’9 Libero/Defense Specialist from Ooltewah (Tn.) High School.
Also returning are 5’7 junior Outside Hitter Anna Claudia Metzler de Andrade from Brazil, 6’ junior Middle Blocker/Right Side Hitter Grace Hardin from Memphis, Tn., 5’4 sophomore Rafaella Martins Petrunko from Brazil, and 5’9 Outside Hitter Olivia Keegan from Vail, Co. and Buford, Ga.
There are a number of newcomers to this year’s team.
Brooke Elizabeth Thomas is a 5’7 Setter from Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Ga. Julia Spier Borges is a 5’7 Outside Hitter from Brazil by way of Northeastern Community College in Colorado. Ryan Burke is a 5’11 junior Middle Blocker from Apalachee High School in Athens, Ga. She transferred from Reinhardt University.
Freshman Taylor Dowdell is a 5’9 Outside Hitter/Right Side Hitter from Shades Valley High School in Irondale, Al. Junior Cassandra Kaye Cox is a 5’9 Right Side Hitter/Setter from Putnum City High School in Oklahoma City. She has played at Langston University (Ok.) and Dodge City (Ks.) Community College. Freshman Kayla Renee Wimpee is a 6’ Middle Blocker from Ridgeland High School who lists Chickamauga, Ga. as her hometown.