Vixen Volleyball Serves Up Comeback Season • Sweet Briar College

Starting in August, Williams Gym welcomed back the sound of balls bouncing, sneakers squeaking, and the scoreboard buzzing as Vixen volleyball returned to Sweet Briar.

Previously active from 1979-2010, the volleyball program saw success on the court with three student-athletes named to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) All-Conference Team in 1995, 2001, and 2002. In spring 2025, Vixen Athletics announced the return of the program, giving new life to volleyball at Sweet Briar. To lead that charge, AJ Escobar was tapped to serve as head coach.

Mila Mutabdzija ’28 returns the ball.“Our goal was to try and get 1% percent better every day. We focused on small statistical increments and really understanding what volleyball means to Sweet Briar,” Escobar said.

Starting a new program involves facing numerous challenges, chief among them recruiting a team and preparing for competition. In lieu of taking a year to plan and recruit, Escobar jumped right in to start a season of independent competition. This year’s roster was composed of 12 student-athletes, including returning students, incoming first years, and transfers. Escobar, accompanied by Gracyn Wright ’28, came to Sweet Briar from St. Andrews University following the announcement of the university’s closure.

“From the moment he arrived on campus, Coach Escobar has shown exactly the kind of vision, energy, and resilience we were looking for to bring volleyball back to Sweet Briar,” said Director of Athletics Donna Meyer Hodgert ’89. “He has faced every obstacle head-on—from a roster of largely inexperienced athletes to jumping straight into NCAA competition without a recruiting year—and he’s done it with unwavering positivity. Coach Escobar’s determination, and belief in our student-athletes have already reenergized our program and laid a foundation for the future of Sweet Briar volleyball.”

When looking at the current student body to fill out the team’s roster, Escobar sought out athletes that understand Sweet Briar and know what it means to be a Vixen.

“Many on the team were already a part of the College. They know how the school runs, they know what’s expected, and they know how to be a part of Sweet Briar,” Escobar said. “That was my biggest thing when I was holding tryouts in August, finding athletes that fit those criteria. We also benefited from students who brought true athleticism to the team.”

Among those who joined the team as a returning student was Clara Delattre ’25, a senior leader on campus who brought a lot of assistance to Escobar and the team. The comeback season featured a full schedule of 21 games, offering the Vixens many opportunities to strengthen their skills and build the foundation of the program.

“Rebuilding the volleyball team has been an incredible experience,” said Rachael Hunt ’29. “I met an amazing group of girls, forged strong bonds that I’ve never found anywhere else, and my athletic capabilities were explored in ways that have been unique to this team.”

Two Vixens block a shot from the opposing team.For Escobar, the main focus of the season, and the program long-term, is to build competitiveness. While the team didn’t earn any wins during its inaugural season, they saw consistent and impressive improvement, including a 31% decrease in average reception errors and a 49% increase in digs per game from the first seven games to their last seven games. Looking ahead, Escobar has an ambitious three-year plan, from securing a conference win next year to making the ODAC tournament by their fourth season back.

“In three years, I’d love to be established in the ODAC as a fierce team, having a consistent and competitive atmosphere,” he said. “The support from Donna Hodgert, Brian Hensley, Nicole Schimmenti, our athletic trainers, and everyone in Athletics, as well as President Hutson, throughout a chaotic start was absolutely amazing and fantastic. I’m very appreciative of them. They do their jobs very well. Thank you.”