The University of Mississippi Athletics
Blocking Her Way to the Top: Nayo Warnell
11/25/2019 | Volleyball
OXFORD, Miss. –Being a middle blocker for Ole Miss Volleyball can be summarized with one phrase: big shoes to fill.
The program's only two All-Americans, Regina Thomas and Nakeyta Clair, both played the position and rank 1-2 in every blocking category in Rebel rally scoring history… At least, they used to.
Enter Nayo Warnell, the middle blocker from Dickinson, Texas, and her standout senior campaign.
In her final year with the Rebels, Warnell has turned in arguably her best. Early in the fall, she reached the 300 career blocks milestone, joining an elite group of just three other Rebels in Clair, Thomas, and the late Ty Laporte. Warnell led the league in hitting percentage for nearly a month, and ranked in the Top 15 in the country nationally for the statistic. She was twice named SEC Offensive Player of the Week.
What caused the spark?
"I knew it was my last season, and I wanted it to be my best one," Warnell said. "I worked on my confidence and what I thought would help me to mentally play better."
That confidence has given Warnell a certain sense of swagger, if you will. She's led the team in scoring on three separate occasions, and for a position that's primarily used to deflect opposing hitters and serve as a decoy for her team's attackers, it's been refreshing.
"I can feel the difference within myself. I've been able to help out our offense more and I think just knowing the difference is there has helped me to have a really great season."
It also didn't hurt getting to train and learn from one of the best this past spring and summer. Clair joined the coaching staff as a volunteer assistant and immediately began to impact Warnell.
"Learning from Nakeyta this summer was such a joy, because within those three months, I learned so much on and off the court. Having her around really helped my game to expand because I could learn some of the little things that made her great and thrive at our position."
Warnell's performances helped lead the Rebels to a historic season, where they tied for the longest winning streak in program history. The squad started 6-0 in SEC play—another first—and Warnell's two SEC Player of the Week plaudits were part of six total for the team this year, the most ever for a Rebel squad in a single season.
She's hit above .500 in more than half of her matches this season, registering a career-high 16 kills against league foe Alabama, and was crucial to the Rebels' upset of then-No. 22 Missouri in October, their first win over a ranked opponent since 2010.
She delivered an incredible weekend this past September in Conway, Arkansas, claiming Central Arkansas Classic tournament MVP honors after hitting .619 on the weekend, committing just one attack error in 42 attempts. She posted 19 blocks across the Rebels' three matches, ranking second in program history for a three-match time span.
The lone senior middle, Warnell has used her success to help her three younger counterparts learn, grow, and become confident.
"Within our middle group, we all have a pretty close connection," Warnell said of junior Bayleigh Scott, sophomore Aubrey Sultemeier, and freshman Ava Wampler. "I just try to always be there for them when they may get frustrated, because I've been there before."
"I want to be an open ear for them and help when I can, and I want them to be confident and see what believing in yourself can do because that has been so vital for me this season. I've told them to just have fun on the court because no matter the mistakes you make, none of that matters when you are giving all you have. I never want them, or any of my other teammates or any future volleyball players to look back and regret anything."
Ironically, all four middle blockers hail from Texas. It's always a bit of a reunion when the squad gets to play Texas A&M, but last season, Warnell got to return to her old stomping grounds when the team played in Houston for the Rice Invitational.
"That was a really special weekend for me."
Surrounded by old club teammates, family and friends, Warnell was named to the all-tournament team, where she had her season-best performance with 12 kills against Rice.
She said she'll miss traveling the most; being on the road with her teammates, all the laughter on the bus and fun times in the hotel that brought unforgettable memories. Warnell plans to return to Texas, where she will hopefully attend graduate school and work towards a career in athletic counseling, hoping to work with collegiate athletes and guide them just the way she has been guided.
When she finishes her time in Oxford, Warnell will rank second in program history in career block assists, surpassing Thomas this past weekend after tallying 10 over nine sets. She needs just two more solo rejections to move into third place all-time in that category and ranks third in program rally scoring history in total blocks.
Her .325 career hitting efficiency also ranks third. Not bad for someone who only starting playing volleyball when they were 14, right?
Warnell didn't even realize she was right behind or in between Clair and Thomas in so many statistics.
"Those things are cool I guess, but as long as I'm doing my job and my team is having fun, that's what I care about and that is what matters to me. If registering those kinds of numbers helps us with our goals, then that's even better."
And for future middle blockers at Ole Miss, there's another set of shoes to fill.
The program's only two All-Americans, Regina Thomas and Nakeyta Clair, both played the position and rank 1-2 in every blocking category in Rebel rally scoring history… At least, they used to.
Enter Nayo Warnell, the middle blocker from Dickinson, Texas, and her standout senior campaign.
In her final year with the Rebels, Warnell has turned in arguably her best. Early in the fall, she reached the 300 career blocks milestone, joining an elite group of just three other Rebels in Clair, Thomas, and the late Ty Laporte. Warnell led the league in hitting percentage for nearly a month, and ranked in the Top 15 in the country nationally for the statistic. She was twice named SEC Offensive Player of the Week.
What caused the spark?
"I knew it was my last season, and I wanted it to be my best one," Warnell said. "I worked on my confidence and what I thought would help me to mentally play better."
That confidence has given Warnell a certain sense of swagger, if you will. She's led the team in scoring on three separate occasions, and for a position that's primarily used to deflect opposing hitters and serve as a decoy for her team's attackers, it's been refreshing.
"I can feel the difference within myself. I've been able to help out our offense more and I think just knowing the difference is there has helped me to have a really great season."
It also didn't hurt getting to train and learn from one of the best this past spring and summer. Clair joined the coaching staff as a volunteer assistant and immediately began to impact Warnell.
"Learning from Nakeyta this summer was such a joy, because within those three months, I learned so much on and off the court. Having her around really helped my game to expand because I could learn some of the little things that made her great and thrive at our position."
Warnell's performances helped lead the Rebels to a historic season, where they tied for the longest winning streak in program history. The squad started 6-0 in SEC play—another first—and Warnell's two SEC Player of the Week plaudits were part of six total for the team this year, the most ever for a Rebel squad in a single season.
She's hit above .500 in more than half of her matches this season, registering a career-high 16 kills against league foe Alabama, and was crucial to the Rebels' upset of then-No. 22 Missouri in October, their first win over a ranked opponent since 2010.
She delivered an incredible weekend this past September in Conway, Arkansas, claiming Central Arkansas Classic tournament MVP honors after hitting .619 on the weekend, committing just one attack error in 42 attempts. She posted 19 blocks across the Rebels' three matches, ranking second in program history for a three-match time span.
The lone senior middle, Warnell has used her success to help her three younger counterparts learn, grow, and become confident.
"Within our middle group, we all have a pretty close connection," Warnell said of junior Bayleigh Scott, sophomore Aubrey Sultemeier, and freshman Ava Wampler. "I just try to always be there for them when they may get frustrated, because I've been there before."
"I want to be an open ear for them and help when I can, and I want them to be confident and see what believing in yourself can do because that has been so vital for me this season. I've told them to just have fun on the court because no matter the mistakes you make, none of that matters when you are giving all you have. I never want them, or any of my other teammates or any future volleyball players to look back and regret anything."
Ironically, all four middle blockers hail from Texas. It's always a bit of a reunion when the squad gets to play Texas A&M, but last season, Warnell got to return to her old stomping grounds when the team played in Houston for the Rice Invitational.
"That was a really special weekend for me."
Surrounded by old club teammates, family and friends, Warnell was named to the all-tournament team, where she had her season-best performance with 12 kills against Rice.
She said she'll miss traveling the most; being on the road with her teammates, all the laughter on the bus and fun times in the hotel that brought unforgettable memories. Warnell plans to return to Texas, where she will hopefully attend graduate school and work towards a career in athletic counseling, hoping to work with collegiate athletes and guide them just the way she has been guided.
When she finishes her time in Oxford, Warnell will rank second in program history in career block assists, surpassing Thomas this past weekend after tallying 10 over nine sets. She needs just two more solo rejections to move into third place all-time in that category and ranks third in program rally scoring history in total blocks.
Her .325 career hitting efficiency also ranks third. Not bad for someone who only starting playing volleyball when they were 14, right?
Warnell didn't even realize she was right behind or in between Clair and Thomas in so many statistics.
"Those things are cool I guess, but as long as I'm doing my job and my team is having fun, that's what I care about and that is what matters to me. If registering those kinds of numbers helps us with our goals, then that's even better."
And for future middle blockers at Ole Miss, there's another set of shoes to fill.
Players Mentioned
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MB
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MB
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MB
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