The Chattanooga Mocs volleyball team was selected fifth in the Southern Conference Preseason Coaches Poll while sophomore middle blocker Kynli Kirkendoll earned preseason all-conference honors as the league office announced the selections Thursday afternoon.
Chattanooga received 29 points in the coaches poll which landed the squad in a tie for fifth with UNCG. Wofford (61; five first-place votes) and Samford (54; three first-place votes) landed in the top two spots followed by ETSU (51) and Furman (47; one first-place vote) in third and fourth, respectively.
The trio of The Citadel (23), Mercer (18) and Western Carolina (12) rounded out the preseason poll by claiming the seventh through ninth positions.
Wofford enters the 2025 season coming off consecutive SoCon Tournament titles and back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Returning sophomore middle blocker Kynli Kirkendoll was tabbed to the SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team after putting together a stellar freshman season in 2024. Kirkendoll, a SoCon All-Freshman selection last year, finished the season with a team-high 101.0 total blocks and .341 attack percentage while ranking third in kills with 210.
Kirkendoll’s .341 attack percentage in 2024 marked the fourth-best total in single-season program history and the best mark by a Mocs freshman on record in a single season. In addition, her 32 solo blocks last season was the most by a Moc since 1999.
Following a home exhibition match against Belmont on Saturday (5 p.m. ET), Chattanooga kicks off the 2025 season next weekend at the UCF Tournament in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, August 29 and Saturday, August 30. UTC opens the season against Norfolk State (11AM) and UCF (7PM) on that Friday before wrapping up against UC Riverside on Saturday (Noon).
2025 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Wofford (5) 61
2. Samford (3) 54
3. ETSU 51
4. Furman (1) 47
5. Chattanooga 29
UNCG 29
7. The Citadel 23
8. Mercer 18
9. Western Carolina 12
() 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
CHATTANOOGA 2025 OUTLOOK
Chattanooga, who finished 17-15 overall in 2024, will look to replace 11 letterwinners from last year's squad while welcoming back nine from the letterwinner category. The Mocs and head coach Julie Torbett Thomas, who enters her fourth season at UTC in 2025, welcome seven newcomers to this year's campaign.
Key Returners: Senior OH Sydney Jackwin and sophomore MB Kynli Kirkendoll. The duo accounted for 674.5 points last season as Jackwin ranked second on the team in kills (353) while Kirkendoll led in blocks (101.0). Junior DS/L Caiti Barthel totaled 179 digs and 15 service aces, appearing in 31 matches and 113 sets.
Additional Returners: Sophomore S Mallory Merz (7 MP); Sophomore OH Elena Vukmanov (3 MP); Senior S Chiara Napoli (13 MP; 28 assists); Sophomore RS Destiny Wiggins (redshirt); Sophomore DS/L Finley Hilliard (9 MP); Sophomore OH Gracie Rose (12 MP).
Key Transfer Newcomers: Redshirt junior MB Bailey Burgess (Old Dominion); Senior OH/RS Kendyl MacAskill (Azusa Pacific); Redshirt junior MB Laila N'Diaye (Florida State); Junior S Ashley Reynolds (Florida State); Sophomore DS/L Jazeli Vandenburgh (USF).
Additional Newcomers: Freshman OH Addison Walker (Gardner-Webb); Freshman MB Jordin Glass (Davidson Day HS).