DEFENDING MAIS STATE CHAMPION MRA VOLLEYBALL TEAM – PLAYING WITHOUT MISSISSIPPI GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FALON HUMPHRIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIX SEASONS – STARTS 2025 SEASON WITH THREE STRAIGHT WINS 

By Robert Wilson

      Madison-Ridgeland Academy volleyball team began its defense of the first state championship in that sport in school history with three victories without a defeat this weekend at Jackson Academy.

      MRA defeated Starkville Academy 2-0, Heritage Academy 2-0 and Hartfield Academy 2-1.

      The Lady Patriots played without Mississippi Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year Falon Humphries for the first time in six seasons. She is a freshman at the University of North Florida this fall.

      Humphries led MRA to a 36-8 record and the MAIS Division I state title, defeating five-time defending state champion Jackson Academy in three sets for the title. She is MRA’s all-time kills leader (1,092) and single season kills leader (513 in 2024).

      But MRA coach Ross Dorr returns five of his seven starters from last year and also added a talented transfer to the mix. 

      “We will be a very experienced team this season with five senior starters, four of those young ladies won their first MRA volleyball trophy in Mississippi five seasons ago when I first started my coaching career,” said Dorr, a former MRA, Southern Miss and Delta State basketball player. “They are literally the program’s foundation and have seen the culture evolve and grow to what it is today, a championship program. Their goal is a repeat, but I have seen them put in more work this offseason than any other before it. They know success only comes before work in the dictionary – my favorite coachism. We have transitioned some players to different roles to fill our holes and it should be successful. (Junior) Emerson Dorr (Coach Dorr’s daughter) will replace Falon. We converted Emerson to a pin hitter from an All-MAIS setter-opposite side hitter where she set the school assist record. She should be able to put up significant kills. (Senior pin hitter) Selah Sandridge has proven to be one of the hardest working players I’ve had the pleasure to coach. She has definitely earned the right to be our team captain through broken bones, pulled muscles, hard losses and emotional victories. (Seniors) Reese Roundtree and Lily Sistrunk will alternate from middle blocker to opposite hitter depending on our need, and (6-foot-6 senior) Alyssa Dampier (daughter of former Mississippi State and NBA center Erick Dampier) will return to the middle from opposite last season where she will be highly effective as a deterrent to the opposing teams’ hitters. Freshman Libero Macy Gladden is taking over for (Itawamba Community College signee Chloe Carr (who graduated last year). Senior (and Jones County Junior College commitment) Kiera Hariel, a transfer from JA, is starting at setter.”

“I think that everyone is very excited for this upcoming season,” Emerson Dorr said. “The expectations are very high for us to defend our title, but I think that has helped drive us to compete and improve. We have a bunch of great new pieces that I am looking forward to coming together as we move throughout the season. I’m excited to create something super special with this group and doing it for our awesome group of seniors.”

“We are all really looking forward to this season,” Sandridge said. “We all have the goal to go and get a back-to-back championship, which has helped motivate us to go and compete. Our new pieces we have added have been a huge help and I’m excited to see how we all come together! I’m excited to see how this season goes and have a great last season with this team.”

“I’m really looking forward to playing my first season as a patriot and being a part of an incredible team,” Hariel said. “I want to leave my mark at MRA and hopefully win that ring at the end of the season.”

“I am excited to see how much this talented team continues to grow over the season,” Dampier said. “Everyone is very hardworking and dedicated on and off the court. I’m hoping to make more history by winning back-to-back championships.”

“Winning was an amazing accomplishment for our program, and it was definitely a boost to our team’s confidence, however, this is a new season, and we need to stay focused and continue to build on that success. I want to see my girls coming to practice each day with getting better on their minds. Winning is great, but if you are not improving with each practice of game, then I am not doing something right as a coach.”

      MRA goes for its fourth straight win Thursday when it goes to Memphis to play 2024 MAIS Division III runner-up West Memphis, Ark., Christian School, then plays 2024 MHSAA Class 7A runner-up Ocean Springs next Tuesday in Hattiesburg.