Tech Volleyball opens season at Stacheville Challenge

By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – With the summer work out of the way, the Tennessee Tech volleyball team opens up action in the 2025-26 season as they head to Clarksville to take on some familiar faces in the Stacheville Challenge.

There, the Golden Eagles will begin the slate on Friday as they take on Xavier at 10 a.m. before taking on the first of two former Ohio Valley Conference opponents with Murray State at 4 p.m. Friday, followed by host Austin Peay in the lone match on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Certainly, the Golden Eagles will miss the presence of outside hitter Maddie Isringhausen, who saw her prestigious career end with an OVC Female Athlete of the Year honor and was drafted by the Pro Volleyball Federation’s Atlanta Vibe, but Tech’s lineup is still loaded with a lot of talent.

Senior setter Jordan Karlen was among the nation’s leaders in assists last year, averaging 11.29 assists per set and totaling a whopping 1,287 helpers. Karlen ended the year with 17 double-doubles

Sophomore Alayna Pierce is coming off of an all-conference season as she posted 308 kills, 261 digs and 23 blocks.

Graduate outside Bella Powell is back for her third campaign with the Golden Eagles after a strong season last year with 254 kills and 63 blocks – second on the team only to Mallory Jenkins’ 74 stops.

Tech has a lot of youth in this season’s roster, boasting seven freshmen and four sophomores among the 16-player lineup. Freshman Jordyn Milhouse, out of Mobile, Ala., was selected as an OVC Player to Watch when the league announced its preseason poll and honorees.

Milhouse isn’t the only newcomer that could make an immediate impact with a trio of liberos – Caroline Fruge, Brooklyn Rapp and Ella Watford, Swedish middle Tuva Falk, outside Eryn Spradley and right sider Sarah Noto all showing great promise in the summer camp work, giving head coach Jeannette Phillips’ team a lot of potential lineups to work with.

Xavier finished 10-18 last season, including an 8-10 record in league play last season. The Musketeers return top hitters Anna Taylor, who recorded 292 kills, and Emma Grace, who had 291 kills.

Murray State went 14-14 a year ago and 9-9 in the Missouri Valley. Leading the way for the Racers is Ella Vogel, who was a preseason All-MVC pick and for good reason – she finished last season with a whopping 431 kills – 3.92 per set – and a .241 attack percentage, while also standing strong on the defensive side with 60 blocks. She was responsible for 491 points.

The host Governors are looking to bounce back from a 2-26 season in 2024, going 1-15 in the Atlantic Sun. The Golden Eagles swept APSU in their meeting last season in the Memphis Invitational, powered by Isringhausen’s 18 kills and Karlen’s 26 assists.

Following the trip to Clarksville, the Golden Eagles will travel to Birmingham next week for the UAB Blazer Invitational before coming home to the Eblen Center on Sept. 11 for the Golden Eagle Invitational presented by Holiday Inn of Cookeville.

 Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations