.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, September 19
Lubbock, Texas
9:30 AM
Ole Miss
vs
Incarnate Word
Volleyball Wraps Up Non-Conference Schedule at Red Raider Classic
9/18/2025 | Volleyball
LUBBOCK, Texas – The Ole Miss volleyball program completes the non-conference portion of its schedule this weekend, traveling to Texas Tech to compete in the Red Raider Classic.
The Rebels (5-3, 0-0 SEC) will open action against Incarnate Word (3-6, 0-0 SLC) on Friday at 9:30 a.m. CT, before facing the host Red Raiders (6-3, 0-0 Big 12) at 7 p.m. CT. The tournament wraps up on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT against UAlbany (5-4, 0-0 America East). All three games will be streamed via ESPN Plus.
RALLY POINTS
LAST TIME OUT
The Rebels completed a second consecutive sweep at home, defeating Memphis 3-0 on Tuesday night. Shayla Meyer led they way, tallying a career-best five blocks, alongside 12 kills and eight digs. Gabi Placide also went into double figures with 11 kills while Tessa Jones added six blocks. As a unit, the Rebels were able to hold the Tigers to a .135 hitting percentage, while limiting options around Amanda Hardt, who tallied 14 kills of her team's 33 kills.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Senior libero Cammy Niesen enters her final collegiate season with eyes on not only setting, but ultimately smashing the program's all-eras dig record. The 2024 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year has been a model of consistency her entire career and stands just 115 digs away from setting a new record that is currently held by Morgan Springer.
Niesen has quietly emerged as one of the best liberos in the SEC over her dynamic career. Last season, Niesen led the SEC in total digs with 537, which also ranked 33rd in the nation. Niesen's digs per set stood at third in the SEC at 4.48, just marginally behind Missouri's Maya Sands (4.53) and Arkansas' recent graduate Courtney Jackson (4.49).
In fact, Niesen ranks seventh in the NCAA on the active digs leaderboard with 1,517.
Active Leaders
1. Emma Hickey, Valparaiso - 2,278
2. Lauren Lindseth, Montana State - 1,639
3. Maya Sands, Missouri - 1,630
4. Emma Farrell, Wake Forest - 1,555
5. LonDynn Betts, West Virginia - 1,537
6. Campbell Jensen, UC Irvine - 1,531
7. Cammy Niesen, Ole Miss - 1,517
8. Ella Voegele, St. Thomas - 1,512
9. Breanna Mitchell, Boise State - 1,462
10. Kamryn Farris, South Dakota - 1,425
FILLING THE VOID
While the Rebels have had to replace much of their offensive attack from 2024, several newcomers have immediately stepped up. The hitters are led by transfer Gabi Placide, who surged to 123 kills and a .240 hitting percentage through the first eight matches of the season and already ranks fourth in the SEC in total kills. Redshirt freshman Melia Johnson has also stepped up, opening her collegiate career with 10 or more kills in four of her first seven collegiate matches.
HONORED BY THE SEC
Setter Mokihana Tufono, who turned heads in her debut season in Oxford, was named to the All-SEC Preseason Team earlier this offseason. Tufono, who started her collegiate career at UCLA, developed into one of the top setters in the conference under head coach Bre Henry, earning AVCA All-South Region honors and recording 1,173 assists in 2024. Tufono also notched 286 digs, 60.0 total blocks, 43 kills and 21 service aces.
This season, Tufono continues to excel, ranking 28th in the nation in assists per set at 10.10 and tallied her first 50-assist match of the season in a win over Wyoming.
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 her pursuit of the all-eras digs record at Ole Miss, Cammy Niesen is also poised to enter the top-10 all-time in service aces, with 61 in her career. That stands just eight outside the rally scoring era's top-10. Shayla Meyer also has her sights on the same list, standing at 54 service aces and stands just 15 away from the top-10 across just over two seasons of action.
Mokihana Tufono continues her rapid ascent of the assists charts in her short time at Ole Miss. Tufono currently sits ninth all-time in the rally scoring era with 1,476 and 16th across all eras, despite only playing just 36 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 (5-3, 0-0 SEC) will open action against Incarnate Word (3-6, 0-0 SLC) on Friday at 9:30 a.m. CT, before facing the host Red Raiders (6-3, 0-0 Big 12) at 7 p.m. CT. The tournament wraps up on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT against UAlbany (5-4, 0-0 America East). All three games will be streamed via ESPN Plus.
RALLY POINTS
- The Rebels wrap up the non-conference slate this weekend, facing Incarnate Word, UAlbany and host Texas Tech at the Red Raider Classic in Lubbock, Texas.
- The Rebel freshmen and redshirt freshmen have stepped up in their first collegiate action, accounting for 140 of the team's 369 kills (37.9 percent).
- The Rebels offense is finding its groove, hitting a sizzling .391 in a sweep of Louisiana. That's the highest hitting percentage by the Rebels since beating Alcorn State in 2023.
- Ole Miss remains undefeated when hitting over .150 this season. All three losses have come when the team falls under the threshold.
- Niesen now stands at 1,517 career digs, with the total ranking second all-time at Ole Miss and just 115 away from the all-time record.
- Junior Gabi Placide has made an immediate impact since coming to Oxford, ranking fourth in the SEC with 123 kills and fourth in the SEC in points with 145.0 through the first few weeks of the season.
- The Rebels and Red Raiders of Texas Tech will battle for the fourth time, and for the first time in a non-neutral setting. The teams face off for the first time since meeting in the NIVC Championship match, which saw the Rebels claiming a 3-0 victory behind 17 kills from tournament MVP Emily Stroup. Jordan Fate and Lauren Bars had double-digit assists as Ole Miss out-served Texas Tech with five service aces to one. Ole Miss holds a 2-1 overall record in the series, having swept Texas Tech in the past two meetings. Texas Tech's lone win came in 1981.
- Ole Miss will face Incarnate Word and UAlbany for the first times in its history.
LAST TIME OUT
The Rebels completed a second consecutive sweep at home, defeating Memphis 3-0 on Tuesday night. Shayla Meyer led they way, tallying a career-best five blocks, alongside 12 kills and eight digs. Gabi Placide also went into double figures with 11 kills while Tessa Jones added six blocks. As a unit, the Rebels were able to hold the Tigers to a .135 hitting percentage, while limiting options around Amanda Hardt, who tallied 14 kills of her team's 33 kills.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Senior libero Cammy Niesen enters her final collegiate season with eyes on not only setting, but ultimately smashing the program's all-eras dig record. The 2024 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year has been a model of consistency her entire career and stands just 115 digs away from setting a new record that is currently held by Morgan Springer.
Niesen has quietly emerged as one of the best liberos in the SEC over her dynamic career. Last season, Niesen led the SEC in total digs with 537, which also ranked 33rd in the nation. Niesen's digs per set stood at third in the SEC at 4.48, just marginally behind Missouri's Maya Sands (4.53) and Arkansas' recent graduate Courtney Jackson (4.49).
In fact, Niesen ranks seventh in the NCAA on the active digs leaderboard with 1,517.
Active Leaders
1. Emma Hickey, Valparaiso - 2,278
2. Lauren Lindseth, Montana State - 1,639
3. Maya Sands, Missouri - 1,630
4. Emma Farrell, Wake Forest - 1,555
5. LonDynn Betts, West Virginia - 1,537
6. Campbell Jensen, UC Irvine - 1,531
7. Cammy Niesen, Ole Miss - 1,517
8. Ella Voegele, St. Thomas - 1,512
9. Breanna Mitchell, Boise State - 1,462
10. Kamryn Farris, South Dakota - 1,425
FILLING THE VOID
While the Rebels have had to replace much of their offensive attack from 2024, several newcomers have immediately stepped up. The hitters are led by transfer Gabi Placide, who surged to 123 kills and a .240 hitting percentage through the first eight matches of the season and already ranks fourth in the SEC in total kills. Redshirt freshman Melia Johnson has also stepped up, opening her collegiate career with 10 or more kills in four of her first seven collegiate matches.
HONORED BY THE SEC
Setter Mokihana Tufono, who turned heads in her debut season in Oxford, was named to the All-SEC Preseason Team earlier this offseason. Tufono, who started her collegiate career at UCLA, developed into one of the top setters in the conference under head coach Bre Henry, earning AVCA All-South Region honors and recording 1,173 assists in 2024. Tufono also notched 286 digs, 60.0 total blocks, 43 kills and 21 service aces.
This season, Tufono continues to excel, ranking 28th in the nation in assists per set at 10.10 and tallied her first 50-assist match of the season in a win over Wyoming.
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 her pursuit of the all-eras digs record at Ole Miss, Cammy Niesen is also poised to enter the top-10 all-time in service aces, with 61 in her career. That stands just eight outside the rally scoring era's top-10. Shayla Meyer also has her sights on the same list, standing at 54 service aces and stands just 15 away from the top-10 across just over two seasons of action.
Mokihana Tufono continues her rapid ascent of the assists charts in her short time at Ole Miss. Tufono currently sits ninth all-time in the rally scoring era with 1,476 and 16th across all eras, despite only playing just 36 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
OH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballHIGHLIGHTS: Volleyball vs. Tennessee (10/12/25)
Sunday, October 12
HIGHLIGHTS: VB at Mississippi State
Friday, October 10
Cammy Niesen Kill
Friday, October 10
Mokihana Tufono 2,000th Assist
Friday, October 10