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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Sunday, October 19
Nashville, Tenn.
1 PM
Ole Miss
at
Vanderbilt
Volleyball to Face Vanderbilt in SEC Play for First Time Since 1979
10/18/2025 | Volleyball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Ole Miss volleyball program wraps up a two-match road swing on Sunday afternoon, facing Vanderbilt for the first time since the revival of the Commodores program.
The Rebels (9-9, 1-6 SEC) will face off against the Commodores (5-11, 1-6 SEC) at 1 p.m. CT, with the match to be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
RALLY POINTS
Despite 17 kills from Gabi Placide to lead all players, the Rebels were unable to break through against Missouri, falling 3-0 on Friday evening in Columbia. Placide recorded one of her best matches in SEC play, hitting .286, but the Rebels fell into an early hole that they could not recover from. The Rebels mounted a comeback attempt, hitting .261 as a unit in the third set, but the Tigers held off the charge in the end.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Senior libero Cammy Niesen made history on Sunday, smashing the program's all-eras dig record that stood for 14 years (by Morgan Springer). The 2024 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year has been a model of consistency her entire career and is now poised to add to her all-time lead as SEC play continues.
Niesen has quietly emerged as one of the best liberos in the SEC over her dynamic career as she closes in on the all-time SEC top-10. Niesen is 77 away from entering the top-10 in conference history.
Last season, Niesen led the SEC in total digs with 537, which also ranked 33rd in the nation. This season, Niesen continues to impact the game, ranking second in the SEC in digs per set (4.22).
In fact, Niesen ranks sixth in the NCAA on the active digs leaderboard with 1,678.
Active Leaders
1. Emma Hickey, Valparaiso - 2,473
2. Maya Sands, Missouri - 1,807
3. Lauren Lindseth, Montana State - 1,796
4. Emma Farrell, Wake Forest - 1,700
5. Campbell Jensen, UC Irvine - 1,695
6. Cammy Niesen, Ole Miss - 1,678
7. LonDynn Betts, West Virginia - 1,671
8. Ella Voegele, St. Thomas - 1,621
9. Breanna Mitchell, Boise State - 1,597
10. Kamryn Farris, South Dakota - 1,582
AT EASE WITH PLACIDE
Gabi Placide has become the SEC's breakout star since arriving in Oxford this season and will be a critical part of the Rebels lineup as SEC play continues.
Placide has surged to the forefront of the national rankings, ranking second in the SEC with 345.0 points and 303 kills, ranking 17th and 21st nationally, respectively. The Centennial, Colo., native also ranks 14th nationally in points per set and 17th nationally in kills per set.
Her efforts earned her a mid-season addition to the AVCA's Player of the Year Watch List. Placide also recently took home SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors following back-to-back career-highs in wins over Texas Tech and UAlbany and hit over .300 for the weekend. Placide also showed off her athleticism with 22 digs and 11.0 blocks to go alongside 71 kills.
MOKI MAGIC
Setter Mokihana Tufono was named to the All-SEC Preseason Team after a dynamic junior season and has only elevated her game in year two as a Rebel. Depsite some recent struggles by the Rebels, Tufono continues to be a bright spot, leading the SEC in total assists at 690 and ranking 15th nationally.
Tufono has been the catalyst for Gabi Placide's breakout campaign as a pin and has recorded two, 50-assist matches this season. Additionally, Tufono has taken strides on the defensive end, recording the first 40-assist, 20-dig match of her career at Mississippi State, exploding for 47 assists and a career-high 22 digs. Tufono's huge two seasons at Ole Miss have landed her in the top-10 all-time as a Rebel.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
Throughout the entirety of the 2025 season, Ole Miss athletics and the volleyball program will honor and recognize many who have contributed to the success and legacy of the program over 50 years of volleyball.
The program has tallied over 800 wins, reached five NCAA Tournaments and won the 2017 NIVC championship. Nineteen student-athletes have earned All-SEC honors, 16 have earned AVCA All-Region and three have been named All-Americans as the program has blossomed over generations of standout student-athletes.
The success of the program has built on the foundation of countless student-athletes who have gone on to earn a degree from the University of Mississippi and take their talents throughout the world.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Several Rebels are poised to etch their names in the all-time record books in 2025 across multiple different metrics.
In addition to clinching the all-eras digs record at Ole Miss, Cammy Niesen is also poised to enter the top-10 all-time in service aces, with 67 in her career. That stands just two outside the rally scoring era's top-10. Shayla Meyer recorded a career-high four service aces at Missouri to move into the rally scoring era top-10 with 69 in her career. Meyer needs just one more ace to move into sole possession of 10th and needs just two to move into a tie for ninth.
Mokihana Tufono continues her rapid ascent of the assists charts in her short time at Ole Miss. Tufono currently sits fifth all-time in the rally scoring era with 1,863 and 10th across all eras, despite only playing just 46 matches as a Rebel.
Fans can continue to show support for the Rebels by joining the ACE Club. Funds from the ACE Club are a major component in helping the Ole Miss volleyball program compete at the highest level. For more information and to donate, click here.
Ole Miss volleyball is hosting Grove Grocery can drives this season at all home matches. Bring a canned good with you to the Marketing Table and receive 100 bonus Rebel Rewards points as a thank you for giving back to the Oxford community.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.
The Rebels (9-9, 1-6 SEC) will face off against the Commodores (5-11, 1-6 SEC) at 1 p.m. CT, with the match to be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
RALLY POINTS
- The Rebels match up with Vanderbilt for the first time since 1979 and the first time since Vanderbilt revived its volleyball program.
- Junior Gabi Placide has made an immediate impact since coming to Oxford, ranking second in the SEC in kills (303) and points (345.0). Placide was added to the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List for her efforts.
- Placide has been particularly impactful on the road, with all four of her 15-kill or more performances in SEC play coming on the road.
- Cammy Niesen broke the Rebels all-time digs record against Auburn, breaking a 14-year-old mark held by Morgan Springer. Niesen's attention now turns to the SEC all-time top-10, where she needs 77 to break in.
- Ole Miss is 6-2 when freshman Carly Paugh gets five or more kills and 3-6 when she does not.
- Shayla Meyer entered the top-10 in service aces in the rally scoring era at Ole Miss with four at Missouri. Meyer ranks third in the SEC in service aces per set (0.42).
- Ole Miss and Vanderbilt are set to face off on the volleyball court for the first time since 1979. The two have only played once before ever, in that 1979 season, with Ole Miss claiming a 2-1 victory.
- Vanderbilt's volleyball program has been reinstated after a 45-year hiatus. The program was re-established in 2022 with its first official season taking place in 2025. This is the first match between the programs as SEC foes.
Despite 17 kills from Gabi Placide to lead all players, the Rebels were unable to break through against Missouri, falling 3-0 on Friday evening in Columbia. Placide recorded one of her best matches in SEC play, hitting .286, but the Rebels fell into an early hole that they could not recover from. The Rebels mounted a comeback attempt, hitting .261 as a unit in the third set, but the Tigers held off the charge in the end.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Senior libero Cammy Niesen made history on Sunday, smashing the program's all-eras dig record that stood for 14 years (by Morgan Springer). The 2024 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year has been a model of consistency her entire career and is now poised to add to her all-time lead as SEC play continues.
Niesen has quietly emerged as one of the best liberos in the SEC over her dynamic career as she closes in on the all-time SEC top-10. Niesen is 77 away from entering the top-10 in conference history.
Last season, Niesen led the SEC in total digs with 537, which also ranked 33rd in the nation. This season, Niesen continues to impact the game, ranking second in the SEC in digs per set (4.22).
In fact, Niesen ranks sixth in the NCAA on the active digs leaderboard with 1,678.
Active Leaders
1. Emma Hickey, Valparaiso - 2,473
2. Maya Sands, Missouri - 1,807
3. Lauren Lindseth, Montana State - 1,796
4. Emma Farrell, Wake Forest - 1,700
5. Campbell Jensen, UC Irvine - 1,695
6. Cammy Niesen, Ole Miss - 1,678
7. LonDynn Betts, West Virginia - 1,671
8. Ella Voegele, St. Thomas - 1,621
9. Breanna Mitchell, Boise State - 1,597
10. Kamryn Farris, South Dakota - 1,582
AT EASE WITH PLACIDE
Gabi Placide has become the SEC's breakout star since arriving in Oxford this season and will be a critical part of the Rebels lineup as SEC play continues.
Placide has surged to the forefront of the national rankings, ranking second in the SEC with 345.0 points and 303 kills, ranking 17th and 21st nationally, respectively. The Centennial, Colo., native also ranks 14th nationally in points per set and 17th nationally in kills per set.
Her efforts earned her a mid-season addition to the AVCA's Player of the Year Watch List. Placide also recently took home SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors following back-to-back career-highs in wins over Texas Tech and UAlbany and hit over .300 for the weekend. Placide also showed off her athleticism with 22 digs and 11.0 blocks to go alongside 71 kills.
MOKI MAGIC
Setter Mokihana Tufono was named to the All-SEC Preseason Team after a dynamic junior season and has only elevated her game in year two as a Rebel. Depsite some recent struggles by the Rebels, Tufono continues to be a bright spot, leading the SEC in total assists at 690 and ranking 15th nationally.
Tufono has been the catalyst for Gabi Placide's breakout campaign as a pin and has recorded two, 50-assist matches this season. Additionally, Tufono has taken strides on the defensive end, recording the first 40-assist, 20-dig match of her career at Mississippi State, exploding for 47 assists and a career-high 22 digs. Tufono's huge two seasons at Ole Miss have landed her in the top-10 all-time as a Rebel.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
Throughout the entirety of the 2025 season, Ole Miss athletics and the volleyball program will honor and recognize many who have contributed to the success and legacy of the program over 50 years of volleyball.
The program has tallied over 800 wins, reached five NCAA Tournaments and won the 2017 NIVC championship. Nineteen student-athletes have earned All-SEC honors, 16 have earned AVCA All-Region and three have been named All-Americans as the program has blossomed over generations of standout student-athletes.
The success of the program has built on the foundation of countless student-athletes who have gone on to earn a degree from the University of Mississippi and take their talents throughout the world.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Several Rebels are poised to etch their names in the all-time record books in 2025 across multiple different metrics.
In addition to clinching the all-eras digs record at Ole Miss, Cammy Niesen is also poised to enter the top-10 all-time in service aces, with 67 in her career. That stands just two outside the rally scoring era's top-10. Shayla Meyer recorded a career-high four service aces at Missouri to move into the rally scoring era top-10 with 69 in her career. Meyer needs just one more ace to move into sole possession of 10th and needs just two to move into a tie for ninth.
Mokihana Tufono continues her rapid ascent of the assists charts in her short time at Ole Miss. Tufono currently sits fifth all-time in the rally scoring era with 1,863 and 10th across all eras, despite only playing just 46 matches as a Rebel.
Fans can continue to show support for the Rebels by joining the ACE Club. Funds from the ACE Club are a major component in helping the Ole Miss volleyball program compete at the highest level. For more information and to donate, click here.
Ole Miss volleyball is hosting Grove Grocery can drives this season at all home matches. Bring a canned good with you to the Marketing Table and receive 100 bonus Rebel Rewards points as a thank you for giving back to the Oxford community.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.
Players Mentioned
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