Photo by: AJ Henderson - Georgia Southern Athletics
8/27/2025 10:00:00 AM | Volleyball
With high expectations, volleyball has its sights set on greatness in '25
Following a five-set heartbreaker in the second round of the NIVC against Northern Colorado, a game where the team was right on the cusp of advancing, all Georgia Southern volleyball head coach Chad Willis could think about was how grateful he was for that team and what they did for the sport in the Statesboro community.
Willis, entering his seventh year as head coach following back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in over a decade, is always quick to separate one season from another and right away makes sure his returners instill that mindset in the newcomers. However, 'unfinished business' has seemingly been the mantra for this 2025 squad as it eyes its season opener on August 28.
"I felt like we worked really hard last year to put ourselves in a position to not just be a championship team, but also be in the NCAA Tournament," he said. "We've talked a lot about unfinished business this season, and I think there is a ton of energy and excitement around this group headed into the year. I'm excited to see them build off last year and see what they are capable of."
While not a completely new group, it is still one that lost a significant amount of production from last year's 22-7 team. Willis feels that it has replaced that well through offseason additions - namely, through one of the best freshman classes the team has ever seen.
Replacing the senior class, including over 500 kills and digs from last season's team, can be tough, but if any group is equipped to do so, it's Willis' squad.
"I don't know if you can replace someone like Ashlyn [Lovett], but that was a big reason we got Maddie Cugino from Gonzaga," he said. "From the attacking side of things, losing Jillian Gray, Paige Powers and Jordan Christy… we've got a great nucleus of returners coming back who are ready to step in and own some of those lost reps. The freshman class coming in adds immediate depth. The biggest thing we will miss about those players, for as good as they were as players, is their character and leadership. We've leaned into our team this past spring to try and re-establish those standards."
The success of last season comes with added respect, however. For the first time in program history, the Eagles were picked to win the Sun Belt East division - earning nine of a possible 13 first-place votes.
While the team has its clear-cut stars in Reagan Barth and Kirsten Barrett, who both received preseason plaudits from the conference, it's easy to see why this team could be so successful. The core group returns standouts Lydia Seymour and Maggie Sale, while also getting back Ailie Hair, who missed all of last season after recording 92 blocks in 2023.
For those five freshmen - Gabby Babinski, Alex Myers, Hadley Porter, Anna Powell and Amelia Robinson- Willis knows they add great value to the team, but also knows the grind of a college season after coming from the high school level and being thrown into the fire.
"It's a talented freshman class, and I expect them to see a lot of court time and add value to what we're doing this year," he said. "On the flip side of that, the season is a grind, especially the schedule we put together. I don't expect us to run off 28 straight sets like we did last year, especially in the non-conference slate, but there are going to be some battles in the Sun Belt and we are going to need everyone to be ready to step up and provide a spark."
After the team put itself on the map early in the season last year, reaching as high as 28 in the RPI after two sweeps of Marshall, Willis ensured that his non-conference schedule would put the group in the same position. The Eagles will play four teams that finished last year top 100 in the RPI to not only try and build some credibility early, but prepare for the teams they'll see in the Sun Belt.
"Looking back at last year, we wanted to put ourselves in a position for a potential at-large bid, seeing a lot of good teams early on," he said. "The competitiveness of that schedule will help us going into Sun Belt play, because we will be seeing different styles of teams."
Volleyball as a sport itself continues to grow, but in the Georgia Southern community, the Eagles have seen their support trend upward in recent years. That trend was most evident on Aug. 23, when over 1,200 patrons came to see Georgia Southern sweep South Carolina in an exhibition at Enmarket Arena, a testament to how far the Eagles have come during the Willis tenure.
"The elevation of our program comes at a crucial time, volleyball is growing in popularity across the board," Willis said. "The fact that we've brought in high-character individuals who are immediately visible in the community coupled with fans being drawn to the pace of a volleyball game when they go for the first time is huge for our program. As we continue to recruit the right people, the support is going to continue to grow. It's been a nice little explosion to be a part of and we're going to keep riding the wave as much as we can."
Hanner Fieldhouse was remodeled during the offseason to become a volleyball-centric facility, which will only add to the experience of coming to a Georgia Southern volleyball game. New locker rooms and murals line the hallways in what has now become one of the premier volleyball venues in the conference.
As the season fast approaches, Willis has seen the growth of the group as they stare down their first early-season tournament in Jacksonville. While the team will take shape in the coming months, the prospect of the growth of the squad excites him.
"I'm excited to see how we grow because it's a fun group to be around," he said. "We're doing some really good things, but we also recognize that the team we are now on August 27 is different than who we will be on November 23. I'm excited to see this team grow and connect more and how we navigate that grind together."
A grind of a season awaits the Eagles, and August 29 at North Florida is the first step of what Willis and Co. hope completes the unfinished business the team has been laser-focused on.
Willis, entering his seventh year as head coach following back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in over a decade, is always quick to separate one season from another and right away makes sure his returners instill that mindset in the newcomers. However, 'unfinished business' has seemingly been the mantra for this 2025 squad as it eyes its season opener on August 28.
"I felt like we worked really hard last year to put ourselves in a position to not just be a championship team, but also be in the NCAA Tournament," he said. "We've talked a lot about unfinished business this season, and I think there is a ton of energy and excitement around this group headed into the year. I'm excited to see them build off last year and see what they are capable of."
While not a completely new group, it is still one that lost a significant amount of production from last year's 22-7 team. Willis feels that it has replaced that well through offseason additions - namely, through one of the best freshman classes the team has ever seen.
Replacing the senior class, including over 500 kills and digs from last season's team, can be tough, but if any group is equipped to do so, it's Willis' squad.
"I don't know if you can replace someone like Ashlyn [Lovett], but that was a big reason we got Maddie Cugino from Gonzaga," he said. "From the attacking side of things, losing Jillian Gray, Paige Powers and Jordan Christy… we've got a great nucleus of returners coming back who are ready to step in and own some of those lost reps. The freshman class coming in adds immediate depth. The biggest thing we will miss about those players, for as good as they were as players, is their character and leadership. We've leaned into our team this past spring to try and re-establish those standards."
The success of last season comes with added respect, however. For the first time in program history, the Eagles were picked to win the Sun Belt East division - earning nine of a possible 13 first-place votes.
While the team has its clear-cut stars in Reagan Barth and Kirsten Barrett, who both received preseason plaudits from the conference, it's easy to see why this team could be so successful. The core group returns standouts Lydia Seymour and Maggie Sale, while also getting back Ailie Hair, who missed all of last season after recording 92 blocks in 2023.
For those five freshmen - Gabby Babinski, Alex Myers, Hadley Porter, Anna Powell and Amelia Robinson- Willis knows they add great value to the team, but also knows the grind of a college season after coming from the high school level and being thrown into the fire.
"It's a talented freshman class, and I expect them to see a lot of court time and add value to what we're doing this year," he said. "On the flip side of that, the season is a grind, especially the schedule we put together. I don't expect us to run off 28 straight sets like we did last year, especially in the non-conference slate, but there are going to be some battles in the Sun Belt and we are going to need everyone to be ready to step up and provide a spark."
After the team put itself on the map early in the season last year, reaching as high as 28 in the RPI after two sweeps of Marshall, Willis ensured that his non-conference schedule would put the group in the same position. The Eagles will play four teams that finished last year top 100 in the RPI to not only try and build some credibility early, but prepare for the teams they'll see in the Sun Belt.
"Looking back at last year, we wanted to put ourselves in a position for a potential at-large bid, seeing a lot of good teams early on," he said. "The competitiveness of that schedule will help us going into Sun Belt play, because we will be seeing different styles of teams."
Volleyball as a sport itself continues to grow, but in the Georgia Southern community, the Eagles have seen their support trend upward in recent years. That trend was most evident on Aug. 23, when over 1,200 patrons came to see Georgia Southern sweep South Carolina in an exhibition at Enmarket Arena, a testament to how far the Eagles have come during the Willis tenure.
"The elevation of our program comes at a crucial time, volleyball is growing in popularity across the board," Willis said. "The fact that we've brought in high-character individuals who are immediately visible in the community coupled with fans being drawn to the pace of a volleyball game when they go for the first time is huge for our program. As we continue to recruit the right people, the support is going to continue to grow. It's been a nice little explosion to be a part of and we're going to keep riding the wave as much as we can."
Hanner Fieldhouse was remodeled during the offseason to become a volleyball-centric facility, which will only add to the experience of coming to a Georgia Southern volleyball game. New locker rooms and murals line the hallways in what has now become one of the premier volleyball venues in the conference.
As the season fast approaches, Willis has seen the growth of the group as they stare down their first early-season tournament in Jacksonville. While the team will take shape in the coming months, the prospect of the growth of the squad excites him.
"I'm excited to see how we grow because it's a fun group to be around," he said. "We're doing some really good things, but we also recognize that the team we are now on August 27 is different than who we will be on November 23. I'm excited to see this team grow and connect more and how we navigate that grind together."
A grind of a season awaits the Eagles, and August 29 at North Florida is the first step of what Willis and Co. hope completes the unfinished business the team has been laser-focused on.
Players Mentioned
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