Montevallo’s Jaida Heath to help start Reid State volleyball program after signing with Lions – Shelby County Reporter

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

MONTEVALLO – In a last-minute development, the lone senior from the Montevallo Bulldogs volleyball team is heading to college to help build a foundation for the state’s newest collegiate volleyball program.

Montevallo setter Jaida Heath signed to play volleyball at Reid State Technical College after receiving a scholarship from the program.

Heath officially signed her letter of intent at a special ceremony with her family in attendance along with former Montevallo volleyball coach Tena Niven, who coached Heath with the Bulldogs.

“Jaida is an excellent leader and I love her tenacity,” Niven said. “She is the type of player you want because she is not willing to give up. She is going to keep going until she is successful.”

Heath started every game for Montevallo at setter in the 2024 season and provided a crucial role for the offense as the Bulldogs played in the Class 5A South Super Regionals for the first time in school history, ultimately losing to Providence Christian to finish the year..

More importantly though, Heath provided crucial senior leadership as the only member of the Class of 2025 on the volleyball team. That leadership will be needed at the collegiate level as she takes on a new challenge at Reid State.

Reid State will play its first season of volleyball in 2025, and the Lions reached out looking for hard-working athletes who knew the game. Heath fit the bill and earned a last-minute scholarship to head down south to Evergreen and play collegiate volleyball at the junior college level.