Xavier University Athletics
Friday, August 29
Clarksville, Tenn.
11 a.m. ET
Xavier University
vs
Tennessee Tech
Volleyball Opens 2025 Season at Austin Peay Tournament
08.27.25 | Volleyball
The Musketeers will face Tennessee Tech on Friday for the season opener.
CINCINNATI - The Xavier volleyball team heads to Clarksville, Tennessee to open the 2025 season at the Stacheville Challenge on August 29-30. The Musketeers are set to face Tennessee Tech at 11:00 a.m. EST on Friday. XU will then play host Austin Peay on Friday night before closing out the weekend against Murray State on Saturday afternoon.
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AUGUST 29Â
BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Coaches' PollÂ
(first-place votes)
Preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year:Â Ava Martin, Sr., OH, Creighton
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team^
McKenna Brand, So., L/DS, UConn
Doga Kutlu, Gr., S, UConn
Emma Werkmeister, Sr., OH, UConn
Jaya Johnson, So., RS/MB, Creighton
Ava Martin, Sr., OH, Creighton*
Kiara Reinhardt, Sr., MB, Creighton*
Hattie Bray, Sr., MB, Marquette*
Natalie Ring, Jr., OH, Marquette
Erin Jones, Sr., S/RS, St. John's*
Lucrezia Lodi, Sr., OH, St. John's
Rashanny Solano-Smith, Jr., L/DS, St. John's
Abby Harrell, Jr., OH, Villanova
Campbell McKinnon, So., MB, Villanova
Margo Kemp, RS-So., MB, Xavier
^Denotes tie in voting
*Denotes unanimous selectionÂ
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tournament information
AUGUST 29Â
- Xavier Musketeers vs. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles- 11:00 a.m. EST
- Live Stats -Â bit.ly/4n0mr5U
- Austin Peay Governors vs. Murray State Racers - 2:00 p.m EST
- Murray State Racers vs. Tennesseee Tech Golden Eagles- 5:00 p.m. EST
- Xavier Musketeers at Austin Peay Governors - 8:00 p.m. EST
- Watch (ESPN+) -Â bit.ly/47hUh22
- Live Stats -Â bit.ly/4n0mr5U
- Xavier Musketeers vs. Murray State Racers - 12:00 p.m. EST
- Live Stats -Â bit.ly/4n0mr5U
- Austin Peay Governors vs. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles - 3:00 p.m. EST
about the musketeers
- Margo Kemp earned a spot on the 2025 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team after a stellar rookie season where she hit .345 and was named the BIG EAST Co-Freshman of the Year.
- The Musketeers were picked to finish seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll.
- Head Coach Christy Pfeffenberger returns 12 letter winners from last year's squad, nine of which saw significant playing time.
- Xavier is returning 85 percent of its offensive output from last season, highlighted by Anna Taylor (292 kills) and Emma Grace (291 kills).
- XU added three freshmen to the 2025 roster with setter Jenna Barhorst, defensive specialist Julia Grace and outside hitter Ava Tilden.
- Macy Hatkevich, a junior setter, transferred in from Toledo in the spring and Kaya Hood, a graduate student middle blocker, joined the team from Michigan State.
- Pfeffenberger returns for her 11th season at the helm of the program assisted by Lainey Stephenson and Zoe Conway, both in their second seasons with Xavier.
scouting the golden eagles
- Tennessee Tech went 24-8 (12-6 OVC) last season, falling in the OVC semifinals.
- The Golden Eagles were picked to finish third in the OVC Preseason Poll.
- TTU returns two All-OVC players from last season in setter Jordan Karlen and outside hitter Alayna Pierce.
- Freshman middle blocker Jordyn Milhouse was named to the 2025 OVC Volleyball Watch List.
- Xavier is 7-1 all-time against Tennessee Tech, winning the last match-up in 2012, 3-0.
scouting the governors
- Austin Peay finished with a 2-26 (1-15 ASUN) record in the 2024 season.
- The Governors were picked to finish eighth in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll.
- Head Coach Evan Amstutz is in his first season at the helm of the program, bringing in an entirely new roster with the exception of one returner from the Governors' 2024 squad.
- Xavier and Austin Peay have not played each other since 1996, but XU leads the series 6-1.
scouting the racers
- Murray State ended the 2024 season at 14-14Â (9-9 MVC).
- The Racers finished tied for sixth in the MVC last season.
- Senior outside hitter Ella Vogel was named to the six-player Preseason All-MVC Team.
- Xavier leads the all-time series, 2-1, after winning the most recent contest in 2009, 3-2.
preseason big east honors
BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Coaches' PollÂ
(first-place votes)
- Creighton (10) 100
- Marquette (1) 85
- UConn 80
- St. John's 79
- Villanova 63
- DePaul 53
- Xavier 47
- Seton Hall 31
- Butler 29
- Georgetown 27
- Providence 11
Preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year:Â Ava Martin, Sr., OH, Creighton
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team^
McKenna Brand, So., L/DS, UConn
Doga Kutlu, Gr., S, UConn
Emma Werkmeister, Sr., OH, UConn
Jaya Johnson, So., RS/MB, Creighton
Ava Martin, Sr., OH, Creighton*
Kiara Reinhardt, Sr., MB, Creighton*
Hattie Bray, Sr., MB, Marquette*
Natalie Ring, Jr., OH, Marquette
Erin Jones, Sr., S/RS, St. John's*
Lucrezia Lodi, Sr., OH, St. John's
Rashanny Solano-Smith, Jr., L/DS, St. John's
Abby Harrell, Jr., OH, Villanova
Campbell McKinnon, So., MB, Villanova
Margo Kemp, RS-So., MB, Xavier
^Denotes tie in voting
*Denotes unanimous selectionÂ
Players Mentioned
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/ Volleyball
OH/DS
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
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