VB to Play Instrasquad Scrimmage

Wednesday, August 17

Waco, Texas

6 PM

Baylor

Green & Gold Game

VB to Play Instrasquad Scrimmage

8/16/2022 6:48:00 PM | Volleyball

Baylor will start the season in the Ferrell Center on Wednesday with Green and Gold Match

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Baylor volleyball's post-Yossi era begins with the Green and Gold game at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Ferrell Center.
            Yossiana Pressley, a three-time first-team All-American and the 2019 AVCA National Player of the Year, is one of 11 departed seniors from last year's 22-6 team that finished second in the Big 12 and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third-consecutive year.
            "Our girls this year have already talked about some of those that have graduated being heroes in their lives," said head coach Ryan McGuyre, who enters his eighth season with a record of 154-56 at Baylor and an overall mark of 703-257.
            "On the flip side, the youthfulness is both blessing and challenge. And we love challenges, that's where we grow. So, we have the opportunity to grow more because we're young. But, the blessing of the youthfulness is there's a freshness, a liveliness, kind of a vigor in the gym and an eagerness to get better."
            Much like his first season at Baylor in 2015, McGuyre has six newcomers on a 15-player roster. Middle blocker Mallory Talbert, a grad transfer from Texas A&M, joins a freshman recruiting class that was ranked fourth nationally by VolleyballMag.com.
            With assistant coaches Jason Williams and Sam Erger taking head jobs at TCU and SMU, respectively, McGuyre also has an almost all-new staff. First-year assistants Joshua Walker and Yajaira Cadet are joined by technical coordinator Will White and former BU volleyball player Nicole O'Banion as director of operations.
            "Lots of changes and new faces in new places," McGuyre said. "We go from a roster of 23 to 15. For me, I think there's a freshness in the gym, because it gives you a little bit more hands-on training with each of the athletes."
            Baylor's short list of experienced returners includes a pair of preseason All-Big 12 selections in fifth-year senior outside hitter Lauren Harrison and 6-5 senior middle blocker Kara McGhee. Also back are libero Lauren Briseño and outside hitter Elise McGhee, who were both named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
            Harrison, who hit .262 with 2.65 kills per set, said the biggest difference this season is "probably age."
            "Although we are a younger team, we are still very talented," Harrison said. "The goals remain the same, and that's win the Big 12 and win a national championship."
            Leading the freshman class is Averi Carlson from Lovejoy High School, the highest-rated recruit in program history at No. 4 overall and the No. 1 setter.
            While there is certainly pressure stepping in to replace Hannah Sedwick, Carlson said she has "great teammates that make it much easier."
            "Coming in this spring, I was really nervous," she said. "Getting to play with them and kind of learn from (the older players) helped a bunch. They're just great leaders and great friends."
            That freshman class also includes 6-4 right-side hitter Allie Sczech and 5-11 outside hitter Alexis Dacosta, who was the fifth-rated recruit in the 2022 class.
            Comparing Dacosta to another undersized outside hitter, Aniah Philo, McGuyre said she has "great ball control, fastest one in the gym, fearlessness. That's something that's just going to grow."
            "If you remember how Aniah was all over the court, Dacosta is going to be like that and then some, with the ability to attack when needed," McGuyre said.
            For Wednesday's Green and Gold game, McGuyre said the squads will be "pretty evenly split."
            "There are some things that are still up for grabs for us," he said. "The setters will stay so they have the benefit of that rhythm with both setters. I love having our best blockers versus our better hitters and our better defenders trying to take the better hitters. That's how we train."
            The Bears will finish the preseason schedule with an exhibition matchup against Texas A&M at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Ferrell Center, with both preseason matches free to the public.
            Ranked 16^th in the AVCA coaches' preseason poll, Baylor will open the regular at next week's Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in Fort Worth, facing No. 5 Minnesota at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, and No. 3 Wisconsin at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. The Badgers are the defending national champions, defeating Nebraska in a five-setter.

WACO, Texas – Baylor volleyball will host its first of two preseason matches on Wednesday with the Green and Gold game at 6 p.m. in the Ferrell Center. The intrasquad match is free to the public.

Next up for the Bears will an exhibition matchup against Texas A&M in the Ferrell Center at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 (4 p.m.), also free to the public.

BU returns senior All-American Lauren Harrison, as well as senior middle blocker Kara McGhee, while welcoming five freshmen. The 2022 recruiting class was the highest-ranked in program history at No. 4 by VolleyballMag.com.

Averi Carlson was the highest-ranked setter of the class and the No. 4 overall recruit, the highest Baylor has ever signed. BU also signed the No. 5 recruit, outside hitter Alexis Dacosta, while bringing in experienced veteran Mallory Talbert from the Texas A&M team as a fifth-year middle blocker.

Baylor had four returners change their jersey numbers for the season: Lauren Briseño previously wore 32 and now will wear No. 2, Faith Lynch previously was No. 13 and now will wear No. 6, Ava Grace Haggard donned the No. 26 jersey and now wears No. 9, and Riley Simpson switches from No. 25 to No. 13.

Head coach Ryan McGuyre is in his eighth season at the helm of the Baylor program, while welcoming in Yajaira Cadet and Joshua Walker onto his staff for their first seasons.

Season and single-game tickets are on sale for the 2022 volleyball season, available for purchase here. The ticketing setup has shifted from years past, now using the same format employed by men's basketball.

Fans can find the list of promotions for the season here.

To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVBall.

-BaylorBears.com-