Women's Volleyball

SAA Volleyball Report - Sept. 15, 2025

CANTON, Ga.  – Baer of Millsaps and Rodriguez of Southwestern are tabbed as week three SAA Athletes of the Week, Rodriguez brings in her second honor of the year.
 
Around the SAA:
SAA Volleyball Schedule/Results
SAA Volleyball Standings
SAA Volleyball Stats
2025 SAA Volleyball Tournament
 
Athletes of the Week:
Offense:
Ally Baer | Millsaps | SR | Pace, FL – Millsaps volleyball senior middle hitter and blocker Ally Baer was tremendous helping the Majors to a 5-0 week in a win at Tougaloo and in four victories at the Millsaps Invitational. She posted a .505 hitting percentage with 61 kills, 18 digs, 12 aces, eight blocks and one assist for 58 points. Baer posted a career-high tying 18 kills against the University of Dallas on Saturday.
 
 
Defense:
Izzy Rodriguez | Southwestern | SO | Houston, TX – Izzy Rodriguez was named to the All-Tournament Team as she led Southwestern to a 3-0 record at the St. Thomas Invitational over the weekend. Rodriguez finished with a combined 69 digs over the three matches (5.79 per set). She recorded a season high of 33 digs (6.6 digs/set) against St. Thomas in a five-set thriller on Saturday to end the tournament, while also collecting 30 digs in a 3-1 win against Austin College on Saturday morning. Rodriguez's stat line also included 15 assists and 3 service aces. 
 
 
Notable Performances:
 
Offense
  • Madie Whitehead | Berry | JR | Pearland, TX – A junior from Pearland, TX Whitehead led the Vikings with 33 kills over the weekend as they went 3-0 including knocking off No. 6 Emory. In the first game against LaGrange Whitehead had 10 kills in a 3-0 win over LaGrange. Then in game two against Texas Lutheran she added 13 kills in a 3-1 win. She saved the best for last as she led the way with 13 kills in a 3-1 upset win over No. 6 Emory. Whitehead is third in the SAA averaging 3.55 kills per set.
  • Syd Bietz | Centre | JR | Versailles, KY – In Centre volleyball's lone game this week, Syd Bietz had a new season high with 17 kills while also adding ten digs to help the Colonels defeat Transylvania 3-1 on Sept. 10. Bietz's 17 kills were a game high, and she has now recorded double digit kills in each of the last three contests, all Centre wins.
  • Madison Williams | Oglethorpe | SR | Decatur, AL – Oglethorpe's Madison Williams had a great week competing in four nonconference matches, including a great weekend of three matches at Maryville. She posted seven kills and only an error in the opening match of the weekend, then she concluded the weekend with six kills to only one error. 
  • Anna Ellison | Sewanee | JR | Charlotte, NC – Anna Ellison posted 20 kills on 42 attempts, hitting .357 for the week as the Tigers went 3-0. She added 10 blocks and 25.5 total points in 10 sets. Against Maryville, Ellison hit .563 on the night, with 10 kills on one error. 
  • Tatum Ahrens | Southwestern | FR | Austin, TX – First-year Tatum Ahrens had a tremendous showing at the St. Thomas Invitational. Ahrens was named Tournament MVP as the Pirates went undefeated for the weekend beating tournament hosts and the 10-0 University of St. Thomas Celts in a five-set thriller. Ahrens posted multiple career/season highs this tournament combining for 38 kills (3.16 kills/set) hitting at .410 for the weekend. Her performance against St. Thomas included a season high of 16 kills, which followed the Austin College match where Ahrens tallied 15 kills. She also added 28 digs, 3 service aces, and 3 blocks to her already impressive stat line. 
  • Kendall DeRivel | Trinity | JR | Westlake Village, CA – DeRivel and the 12th-ranked Trinity volleyball team went 1-2 at the Trinity National Invitational over the weekend, defeating the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (MN), before falling to Whitworth University (WA) and 10th-ranked East Texas Baptist University. DeRivel finished with 75 assists (5.77 per set) over 13 sets, recording a pair of double-doubles, and reaching a weekend-best 29 assists in the loss to Whitworth.
 
Defense
  • Andrea Hurt | Berry | JR | Columbus, GA – A junior from Columbus, GA Hurt helped lead the Vikings to a 3-0 weekend including an upset of No. 6 Emory. Hurt led with 17 digs in a 3-0 win over LaGrange. She then followed that up with 29 digs in a 3-1 win over Texas Lutheran. Then in the final game against No. 6 Emory she led the way with 12 digs as the Vikings recorded a huge upset winning 3-1. Hurt is second in the SAA averaging 4.97 digs per set.
  • Emersyn Pannell | Centre | SO | Leander, TX – Emersyn Pannell had the best statistical game of her career in Centre's victory against Transylvania on Wednesday. The sophomore libero kept numerous plays alive on the way to a career high 20 digs as Centre won in four sets. Pannell helped Centre enjoy a 66-57 advantage in total digs in the win.
  • Sandy Bourgeois | Millsaps | JR | Luling, LA – Millsaps volleyball junior libero Sandy Bourgeois was terrific and helped power the Majors to a 4-0 showing at the Millsaps Invitational over the weekend. She totaled 72 digs, 15 assists, six aces and two kills.
  • Jenna Rodriguez | Trinity | SR | San Antonio, TX – Rodriguez was named to the Trinity National Invitational All-Tournament team as the 12th-ranked Tigers went 1-2 at its home tournament. Trinity defeated the University of Northwestern-St. Paul before losing to both Whitworth University (WA) and 10th-ranked East Texas Baptist University. Rodriguez finished the weekend with 58 digs (4.46 per set), posting a weekend-best 25 digs against nationally ranked ETBU on Saturday evening.
 
2025 Volleyball Report Archive (AOW Offense/Defense)
Week One (Sept. 2) – Madie Whitehead/Izzy Rodriguez
Week Two (Sept. 8) – Regan Whatley/Olivia Wiseman
 
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