The University of Mississippi Athletics
Sunday, November 12
Knoxville, Tenn
1 PM
Ole Miss
at
Tennessee
Volleyball Readies For Matchup With No. 10 Tennessee
11/10/2023 | Volleyball
OXFORD, Miss. – Looking to bounce back after a loss on the road, Ole Miss Volleyball is faced with a tough test in No. 10 Tennessee on Sunday, November 12.
RALLY POINTS
• The Rebels are coming off a 1-1 week that featured a win over LSU and a loss to South Carolina.
• Ole Miss and Tennessee faced off earlier this season in Oxford, with the Lady Vols winning 3-0.
• Anna Bair solidified herself in the top five in program history with her 1,377th career kill last week. The fifth-year senior is 37 shy of fourth all-time.
•The Ole Miss offense features seven athletes with 100+ kills on the season.
• Sasha Ratliff (.368) and Payton Brgoch (.346) rank third and seventh in the conference in hitting percentage, respectively.
• The middle blocker duo, known as the Rebel Roofing Company, is the only one in the SEC to have two players with 300 career total blocks.
• Libero Cammy Niesen ranks second in the SEC with 403 digs on the season (4.15 per set). She has registered double-digit digs in all but two matches this season.
MISSISSIPPI MADE
For junior outside hitter Julia Dyess, wearing Ole Miss means more. A native of Brandon, Mississippi, Dyess chose to stay in state and represent Mississippi, serving as a role model for other girls throughout the state as the sport continues to grow. This year, Dyess is having her best statistical season across the board, becoming a weapon in both the front and back row. She has come up big for the Rebels in conference play as the team's second leading attacker. Dyess burst onto the scene with 19 kills and 14 digs in a come-from-behind win over South Carolina in September, and just this past week showed how dangerous she is with a career-high 22 kills on a .310 hitting percentage in a massive win over LSU. She has recorded double-digit kills in four straight matches.
GEAUX REBS
A career-high 22 kills from Julia Dyess helped Ole Miss volleyball pick up its second straight SEC win as the Rebels defeated LSU 3-2 on November 1. The Rebels stormed out to an early lead, winning the first two sets before LSU battled back to force a fifth. A late 3-0 run that featured a kill from Anna Bair and back-to-back blocks from Payton Brgoch proved to be the dagger as Ole Miss grabbed the victory. The Brandon, Mississippi, native, Dyess, put on a show in front of a packed crowd, tallying 22 kills on a .310 hitting percentage. She was one of four Rebels to finish with double-digit kills in the match. Setter Aly Borellis guided the offense to their best attacking percentage in SEC play this season, a .297 mark, with 50 assists. Ole Miss once again dominated the service line, led by Brgoch with a career-best four aces.
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS
One of the best attackers to ever wear an Ole Miss uniform, Anna Bair continues to dazzle as her fifth and final season winds down. The senior from St. Louis has been a staple of the offense, recording double-digit kills for the 75th time in her career against Missouri. Last Wednesday night against LSU, Bair cemented her place in the history books, passing Julia Sitarz for fifth all-time in the Ole Miss record books with 1,369 career kills.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Since arriving on campus, Cammy Niesen has started every single match at libero. As a freshman, the Cincinnati, Ohio, native earned a pair of SEC Weekly awards en route to collecting 410 digs. This season, Niesen has stepped up to become not only one of the conference's best but the nation's most elite liberos. Through 25 matches she has 403 digs, the second most in the SEC.
TAMING THE TIGERS
Exactly 14 days since falling in a five-set heartbreaker on the road to Missouri, Ole Miss volleyball got revenge on its home court, taming the Tigers 3-1. Dominance at the service line was key for the Rebels, who finished with a season-high 13 aces, the most since 2013 (15 vs. Grambling State). Three Rebels tallied double-figure kills, led by Nia Washington with 12 on a team-high .333 hitting clip. Sasha Ratliff registered a season-high eight blocks in the match, including a pair of solo stuffs, and libero Cammy Niesen paced the team with 14 digs to help hold Missouri to a .167 mark offensively.
SERVING THE SPARK
A career day from junior Bailee Middleton at the service line helped Ole Miss set the tone and spark massive runs for the Rebels. She finished last Sunday's match with seven aces, the second most ever in a single match in program history, and a career-best 12 digs. Middleton personally led Ole Miss on runs of 3-0, 5-0 and 6-0, holding Missouri to a 32% sideout rate when she was at the service line.
ELITE COMPANY
Leading the Ole Miss attack with 224 kills this season is Sasha Ratliff. A presence in the middle, she recorded her 800th career kill last month against Missouri on October 15. The senior middle blocker is writing her name all over the record book, boasting the best career hitting percentage (minimum 1500 attempts) with a blistering .351 clip and ranking fourth in the rally scoring era with 377 total blocks. One of the best to see the court in a Rebel uniform, Ratliff is one of six athletes in program history, including just the third in the rally scoring era, with at least 800 kills and 350 blocks.
LANDSHARK DEFENSE
One of the most improved areas for the Rebels this season has been the defense. Last season, Ole Miss ranked last in the SEC and 302nd nationally in opponent hitting percentage. That's all changed this season thanks to the addition of associate head coach Taylor Gregory, who leads the defensive efforts along with head coach Bre Henry. So far in 2023, the Ole Miss defense is averaging 14.00 digs per set, the fourth best mark in the SEC. Libero Cammy Niesen plays a large role in the effort, ranking third with her 4.15 digs per set. This, combined with the presence of Sasha Ratliff and Payton Brgoch, who help the Rebels average 2.21 blocks per set, have helped create one of the stingiest defenses in the SEC.
REBEL ROOFING CO.
Over the past three seasons, the Rebels have been fortunate enough to watch two of the program's best middle blockers share the court. Payton Brgoch and Sasha Ratliff are leaving their legacy on Ole Miss volleyball. The duo both actively rank inside the top 10 in program history for total blocks in the rally scoring era, boast the second and third-best single seasons in program history when it comes to blocking and led the Rebels to a new program record for blocks in a season in 2021. Brgoch ranks sixth, boasting 325 total blocks in her career, including 123 last season and 98 this year. Ratliff ranks fourth with 377 total blocks in her career. She has eclipsed 100 blocks in each of the past two seasons, including 129 in 2021. Further, Brgoch and Ratliff are the only middle blocker duo in the SEC and one of 19 nationally to have both players with 300+ total blocks. As both middles play their senior season, they look to cement themselves as two of the best to ever wear an Ole Miss uniform.
SUPER SENIORS
Four years in a Rebel uniform just wasn't enough for Anna Bair and Maggie Miller. After graduating last May with undergraduate degrees from Ole Miss, the two seniors made the decision to come back and utilize their fifth year of eligibility. Now in their "super senior" season, they're back for one more year with their teammates and coaches.
Bair returns for a fifth season after earning back-to-back AVCA South All-Region honors the past two years. She is one of 15 student-athletes in Ole Miss history to tally 1,000 career kills, ranking third in the rally scoring era and fifth all-time with 1,377 total kills. A key piece of the attack since stepping on campus, Bair has appeared in 125 matches in a Rebel uniform and recorded double-digit kills in 76, including 12 this season.
Miller returns for a fifth season in an Ole Miss uniform after appearing in over 325 sets across 93 matches. The Houston, Texas, native is a steady passer in the back row, averaging 1.52 digs per set in her career, and recently tallied her 500th career dig against LSU.
SUPPORT THE REBS
The Ole Miss Volleyball ACE Club provides a great opportunity to help head coach Bre Henry support the Rebels year-round. Funds from the Ace Club are a major component in helping address needs within the Ole Miss volleyball program, including updates to facility spaces, specialized training equipment, travel and other unique student-athlete or team building experiences that are critical for recruiting and enhancing the overall Ole Miss student-athlete experience. ACE Club memberships start as low as $100, and members have the opportunity to receive unique benefits and experiences, all while helping the Rebels compete at the highest level throughout the SEC and country.
RALLY POINTS
• The Rebels are coming off a 1-1 week that featured a win over LSU and a loss to South Carolina.
• Ole Miss and Tennessee faced off earlier this season in Oxford, with the Lady Vols winning 3-0.
• Anna Bair solidified herself in the top five in program history with her 1,377th career kill last week. The fifth-year senior is 37 shy of fourth all-time.
•The Ole Miss offense features seven athletes with 100+ kills on the season.
• Sasha Ratliff (.368) and Payton Brgoch (.346) rank third and seventh in the conference in hitting percentage, respectively.
• The middle blocker duo, known as the Rebel Roofing Company, is the only one in the SEC to have two players with 300 career total blocks.
• Libero Cammy Niesen ranks second in the SEC with 403 digs on the season (4.15 per set). She has registered double-digit digs in all but two matches this season.
MISSISSIPPI MADE
For junior outside hitter Julia Dyess, wearing Ole Miss means more. A native of Brandon, Mississippi, Dyess chose to stay in state and represent Mississippi, serving as a role model for other girls throughout the state as the sport continues to grow. This year, Dyess is having her best statistical season across the board, becoming a weapon in both the front and back row. She has come up big for the Rebels in conference play as the team's second leading attacker. Dyess burst onto the scene with 19 kills and 14 digs in a come-from-behind win over South Carolina in September, and just this past week showed how dangerous she is with a career-high 22 kills on a .310 hitting percentage in a massive win over LSU. She has recorded double-digit kills in four straight matches.
GEAUX REBS
A career-high 22 kills from Julia Dyess helped Ole Miss volleyball pick up its second straight SEC win as the Rebels defeated LSU 3-2 on November 1. The Rebels stormed out to an early lead, winning the first two sets before LSU battled back to force a fifth. A late 3-0 run that featured a kill from Anna Bair and back-to-back blocks from Payton Brgoch proved to be the dagger as Ole Miss grabbed the victory. The Brandon, Mississippi, native, Dyess, put on a show in front of a packed crowd, tallying 22 kills on a .310 hitting percentage. She was one of four Rebels to finish with double-digit kills in the match. Setter Aly Borellis guided the offense to their best attacking percentage in SEC play this season, a .297 mark, with 50 assists. Ole Miss once again dominated the service line, led by Brgoch with a career-best four aces.
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS
One of the best attackers to ever wear an Ole Miss uniform, Anna Bair continues to dazzle as her fifth and final season winds down. The senior from St. Louis has been a staple of the offense, recording double-digit kills for the 75th time in her career against Missouri. Last Wednesday night against LSU, Bair cemented her place in the history books, passing Julia Sitarz for fifth all-time in the Ole Miss record books with 1,369 career kills.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Since arriving on campus, Cammy Niesen has started every single match at libero. As a freshman, the Cincinnati, Ohio, native earned a pair of SEC Weekly awards en route to collecting 410 digs. This season, Niesen has stepped up to become not only one of the conference's best but the nation's most elite liberos. Through 25 matches she has 403 digs, the second most in the SEC.
TAMING THE TIGERS
Exactly 14 days since falling in a five-set heartbreaker on the road to Missouri, Ole Miss volleyball got revenge on its home court, taming the Tigers 3-1. Dominance at the service line was key for the Rebels, who finished with a season-high 13 aces, the most since 2013 (15 vs. Grambling State). Three Rebels tallied double-figure kills, led by Nia Washington with 12 on a team-high .333 hitting clip. Sasha Ratliff registered a season-high eight blocks in the match, including a pair of solo stuffs, and libero Cammy Niesen paced the team with 14 digs to help hold Missouri to a .167 mark offensively.
SERVING THE SPARK
A career day from junior Bailee Middleton at the service line helped Ole Miss set the tone and spark massive runs for the Rebels. She finished last Sunday's match with seven aces, the second most ever in a single match in program history, and a career-best 12 digs. Middleton personally led Ole Miss on runs of 3-0, 5-0 and 6-0, holding Missouri to a 32% sideout rate when she was at the service line.
ELITE COMPANY
Leading the Ole Miss attack with 224 kills this season is Sasha Ratliff. A presence in the middle, she recorded her 800th career kill last month against Missouri on October 15. The senior middle blocker is writing her name all over the record book, boasting the best career hitting percentage (minimum 1500 attempts) with a blistering .351 clip and ranking fourth in the rally scoring era with 377 total blocks. One of the best to see the court in a Rebel uniform, Ratliff is one of six athletes in program history, including just the third in the rally scoring era, with at least 800 kills and 350 blocks.
LANDSHARK DEFENSE
One of the most improved areas for the Rebels this season has been the defense. Last season, Ole Miss ranked last in the SEC and 302nd nationally in opponent hitting percentage. That's all changed this season thanks to the addition of associate head coach Taylor Gregory, who leads the defensive efforts along with head coach Bre Henry. So far in 2023, the Ole Miss defense is averaging 14.00 digs per set, the fourth best mark in the SEC. Libero Cammy Niesen plays a large role in the effort, ranking third with her 4.15 digs per set. This, combined with the presence of Sasha Ratliff and Payton Brgoch, who help the Rebels average 2.21 blocks per set, have helped create one of the stingiest defenses in the SEC.
REBEL ROOFING CO.
Over the past three seasons, the Rebels have been fortunate enough to watch two of the program's best middle blockers share the court. Payton Brgoch and Sasha Ratliff are leaving their legacy on Ole Miss volleyball. The duo both actively rank inside the top 10 in program history for total blocks in the rally scoring era, boast the second and third-best single seasons in program history when it comes to blocking and led the Rebels to a new program record for blocks in a season in 2021. Brgoch ranks sixth, boasting 325 total blocks in her career, including 123 last season and 98 this year. Ratliff ranks fourth with 377 total blocks in her career. She has eclipsed 100 blocks in each of the past two seasons, including 129 in 2021. Further, Brgoch and Ratliff are the only middle blocker duo in the SEC and one of 19 nationally to have both players with 300+ total blocks. As both middles play their senior season, they look to cement themselves as two of the best to ever wear an Ole Miss uniform.
SUPER SENIORS
Four years in a Rebel uniform just wasn't enough for Anna Bair and Maggie Miller. After graduating last May with undergraduate degrees from Ole Miss, the two seniors made the decision to come back and utilize their fifth year of eligibility. Now in their "super senior" season, they're back for one more year with their teammates and coaches.
Bair returns for a fifth season after earning back-to-back AVCA South All-Region honors the past two years. She is one of 15 student-athletes in Ole Miss history to tally 1,000 career kills, ranking third in the rally scoring era and fifth all-time with 1,377 total kills. A key piece of the attack since stepping on campus, Bair has appeared in 125 matches in a Rebel uniform and recorded double-digit kills in 76, including 12 this season.
Miller returns for a fifth season in an Ole Miss uniform after appearing in over 325 sets across 93 matches. The Houston, Texas, native is a steady passer in the back row, averaging 1.52 digs per set in her career, and recently tallied her 500th career dig against LSU.
SUPPORT THE REBS
The Ole Miss Volleyball ACE Club provides a great opportunity to help head coach Bre Henry support the Rebels year-round. Funds from the Ace Club are a major component in helping address needs within the Ole Miss volleyball program, including updates to facility spaces, specialized training equipment, travel and other unique student-athlete or team building experiences that are critical for recruiting and enhancing the overall Ole Miss student-athlete experience. ACE Club memberships start as low as $100, and members have the opportunity to receive unique benefits and experiences, all while helping the Rebels compete at the highest level throughout the SEC and country.
Players Mentioned
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