CANTON, Ga. – After a huge weekend in Rome, Georgia, the Southern Athletic Association volleyball teams competed for week five honors.
Around the SAA:
SAA Volleyball Schedule/Results
SAA Volleyball Standings
SAA Volleyball Stats
2025 SAA Volleyball Tournament
Athletes of the Week:
Offense:
Marissa Drange | Trinity | SR | Boerne, TX – Drange led 12th-ranked Trinity University to a 3-0 weekend of SAA play in Georgia, as the Tigers defeated Oglethorpe University, Sewanee, and Millsaps College to remain unbeaten in conference play so far this season. Drange piled up 25 kills (2.78 per set) and a scorching .447 hitting percentage over the weekend, averaging 26.5 points per set in her nine sets played. She led the team with 11 kills to go with a .625 hitting percentage in the team's 3-0 win over Oglethorpe to start the weekend, then piled up nine kills and a team-best and career-high (min. 10 attacks) .643 hitting percentage to secure the unbeaten weekend in a 3-1 win over Millsaps. Overall, this season, Drange is hitting .250 with 1.92 kills per set in 25 sets played.
Defense:
Jenna Rodriguez | Trinity | SR | San Antonio, TX – Rodriguez led the 12th-ranked Trinity University volleyball team to a 3-0 record in SAA action over the weekend, defeating Oglethorpe University, Sewanee, and Millsaps College to remain unbeaten in conference play. Rodriguez tallied 51 digs in 10 sets for an average of 5.1 digs per set over the weekend, adding 16 assists to go with three service aces. She also recorded just two reception errors in 33 attempts (0.20 reception errors per set). Rodriguez led the team with nine digs against Oglethorpe to open the weekend, then piled up 22 digs in just three sets against Sewanee. She finished the weekend with 20 more digs and eight assists in the 3-1 win over Millsaps on Sunday. Rodriguez is averaging 4.73 digs per set this season.
Notable Performances:
Offense
- Ava Brovet | Berry | FR | Raleigh, NC – A freshman setter from Raleigh, NC Brovet helped lead the Vikings to three straight 3-0 sweeps with 92 assists for 10.22 assists per set at the SAA Mega Pod Tournament this past weekend. She started the weekend with a huge performance leading the way with 30 assists as the Vikings took down first place Southwestern 3-0. Brovet then led with 36 assists as the Vikings swept Millsaps 3-0. Brovet then topped that off leading with 26 assists in a 3-0 win over Sewanee. Brovet leads the SAA with 8.90 assists per set.
- Mack Turner | Centre | JR | Knoxville, TN – In three matches this week, Mack Turner combined for 23 kills from her middle blocker position, hitting above .300 in all three matches and topping out with a .500 hitting percentage while tying for the team high in kills against Southwestern. In Centre's win over Millsaps, Turner hit a new season high with 11 kills to help the Colonels get the victory.
- Maria Kennedy | Sewanee | JR | Johns Creek, GA – Maria Kennedy turned in a career weekend, posting 13 kills on 30 attempts with just one error across three matches. She recorded a career-best .400 hitting percentage over the stretch, highlighted by a single-match career high of .571 against Berry. Kennedy aided the Tigers’ offense against Rhodes, finishing with six kills, an ace, and three blocks while committing only one error.
- Kendall Jurgens | Southwestern | JR | Dripping Springs, TX – Junior middle blocker Kendall Jurgens was a key contributor for the Pirates over the weekend, averaging 2.11 kills per set while hitting an impressive .410 with just three errors on 39 attempts. She also averaged 1.44 blocks per set, finishing with one solo and 12 block assists (13 total). Across nine sets played, Jurgens totaled 19 kills, 13 blocks, and 35 points, providing both efficient offense and a dominant defensive presence at the net.
Defense
- Blakely Barnes | Berry | SO | Virginia Beach, VA – A sophomore middle blocker from Virginia Beach, VA Barnes helped lead the Vikings defense to three 3-0 sweeps at the SAA Mega Pod Tournament this past weekend. In the first game against first place Southwestern Barnes was a defensive wall leading the way with seven blocks in a 3-0 sweep. Then in game two against Millsaps she delivered two more blocks in a 3-0 win where the Vikings only allowed 13, 20 and 17 points in each set. Then in the final game against Sewanee Barnes came up with another block as the Vikings capped off the weekend with another 3-0 sweep winning 25-15, 25-19 and 25-18. Barnes averaged 1.11 blocks per set on the weekend.
- Mack Turner | Centre | JR | Knoxville, TN – Mack Turner was a force at the net for the Colonels this week as she combined for 13 blocks across three matches. Her best performance came against Millsaps as she tied her career high with eight blocks, helping Centre defeat the Majors in four sets.
2025 Volleyball Report Archive (AOW Offense/Defense)
Week One (Sept. 2) – Madie Whitehead/Izzy Rodriguez
Week Two (Sept. 8) – Regan Whatley/Olivia Wiseman
Week Three (Sept. 15) – Ally Baer/Izzy Rodriguez
Week Four (Sept. 22) – Regan Whatley/Sophia Caruso
For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the SAA's home on the internet at
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