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2024 W&L Volleyball Season Preview

Generals receive four first-place votes, No. 2 in the ODAC preseason poll

8/27/2024 2:00:00 PM

LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University women’s volleyball team was predicted to finish second in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) preseason poll which is voted upon by the leagues’ 13 head coaches, the conference announced on Tuesday afternoon.

After claiming their 19th ODAC title last season, the Blue and White received four of the 13 first place votes for a total of 135 points. The Generals wrapped up their 2023 campaign with a 22-11 record with an 8-4 mark in conference play, making it to the NCAA Tournament for the 16th time in program history.

Virginia Wesleyan University topped the preseason poll after posting a perfect 12-0 record in conference play last season. Randolph-Macon College and Bridgewater College both received one first place vote with the Yellow Jackets voted third with 119 points and the Eagles were slotted fourth with 118 points. Averett University rounded out the top-five, receiving 92 points.

Head Coach Bryan Snyder ‘95 enters his 25th season with the Blue and White. The Generals have compiled a 615-202 (.753) under his direction while posting 233 wins in ODAC play. Snyder ranks 11th in wins among active Division III volleyball coaches as he has racked up 656 total victories in 26 seasons.

The ODAC's preseason release can be found HERE.

Bryan Snyder '95

2024 ODAC Volleyball Preseason Poll

Virginia Wesleyan University (7) 137 pts.
Washington and Lee University (4) 135 pts.
Randolph-Macon College (1) 119 pts.
Bridgewater College (1) 118 pts.
Averett University 92 pts.
Roanoke College 86 pts.
University of Lynchburg 78 pts.
Guilford College 63 pts.
Eastern Mennonite University 57 pts.
Randolph College 51 pts.
Shenandoah University 38 pts.
Ferrum College 26 pts.
Hollins University 14 pts.

National Poll

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) released their 2024 Division III Preseason Poll on Monday afternoon. Juniata College received all 86 first place votes after winning their second-straight NCAA Championship this past season, tallying 2,150 total points. National Runner-up, Hope College, was voted second in the poll, tallying 2,019 points while Claremont-Mudd-Scripps was slotted third with 1,870 points. Johns Hopkins University was ranked fourth by the organization, tallying 1,795 points while University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh rounded out the top-five with 1,757 points.

The Generals received ten points, appearing on multiple ballots for the preseason poll. The Blue and White will square off with four ranked teams this season including No. 1 Juniata, No. 9 Emory, No. 22 Mary Washington while taking on No. 12 Berry (Ga.) in the season opener on Friday, Aug. 30.

The entire AVCA Top-25 can be found HERE.

Preseason has been going well, with good depth across all positions, allowing for high-intensity training while spreading the workload. This has meant they haven’t had to ease up too much. The team has spent extra time addressing areas that were weaknesses in 2022, aiming to start this season with better execution. The junior and senior classes have played a key role, consistently reinforcing our team’s standards and setting an example in both effort and technical execution. Younger players are benefiting from this leadership, seeing correct techniques when they struggle.

The first-years are working hard to absorb a lot of new information, even though it can be overwhelming at times. Despite the challenge, they have maintained a great attitude and are showing progress. Some may contribute in specific roles this year, and all are raising the competitiveness of the practice environment.

While the team is excited to compete and travel, they’ve kept their focus on improving each day in practice. The real excitement will likely hit after the last practice, as they head out to compete, but right now the focus is still on getting better with each session.

Head Coach Bryan Snyder (25th Season)

Volleyball Team Celebration - ODAC Semis vs. Va. Wesleyan

Schedule Preview

The 2024 campaign kicks off with the Berry College Invitational on August 30 in Georgia, where the team will face No. 12 Berry College and Hardin-Simmons University. The next day, the Blue and White take on Sewanee in another neutral site matchup.

W&L then returns home to host the W&L Invitational from September 6–7, featuring matches against Mary Washington, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and Southern Virginia University.

On September 10, W&L heads to Roanoke to face Hollins University before taking part in the Randolph-Macon Quad on September 14, facing Carnegie Mellon and Salisbury University. Old Dominion Athletic Conference play begins with Ferrum College at home on September 17, followed by a busy weekend at Guilford College on September 20 and the Averett Tri-Match on September 21, where they’ll face Averett and Berea College.

Key conference matchups include road games against Shenandoah on September 28 and Bridgewater on October 9, with home contests against Randolph-Macon on September 25, Virginia Wesleyan on October 2, and Lynchburg on October 19. The team also takes part in the Juniata Tri-Match on October 12, with matches against Susquehanna and top-ranked Juniata.

W&L finishes the regular season with several home games, including a tri-match on October 26 against Roanoke College and Stevenson University, before heading to the Emory National Invitational in Atlanta on November 8–9, where they’ll face No. 9 Emory, Oglethorpe, and Maryville College.

Postseason action begins with the ODAC Tournament starting on November 12, with the NCAA Tournament kicking off on November 21.

To view the entire W&L women's volleyball schedule, click HERE.

Key Returners

The Generals return three of their top attack options, including Third Team All-ODAC selection Grace Mitchener. A sophomore from Raleigh, N.C., Mitchener had an impressive rookie season, playing in all 33 matches. She ranked second on the team in both kills (248) and service aces (33), averaging 2.28 kills per set with a .194 hitting percentage. Last season, she recorded a career-high 22 kills against Eastern (Pa.).

Senior Allie Buchholz looks to build off her success as the Generals’ primary setter. Last season, Buchholz played in 114 sets in 33 of the Blue and White’s matches, dishing out 1,077 assists with 9.45 assists per set. The First Team All-ODAC selection led the team in assists, service aces (38), and digs (394) while ranking third on the team in blocks with 47. Buchholz posted a career-high 53 assists in a win over Roanoke. Buchholz is nearing another milestone, needing 61 digs to become the 16th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career digs.

Sophomore Libero Vivi Vasquez returns to the court for the Generals this season. In her rookie campaign, Vasquez played in 65 sets across 23 matches. She ranked second on the team with 384 digs, averaging a team-high 5.91 digs per set. She posted a career-high 40 digs against Eastern (Pa.) last season, tying the program’s single-match record.

On the Court: Riley Debiec is the youngest captain for the Blue and White this season as she enters her junior season. Debeic, a Potomac, Md. native, had an impressive sophomore campaign, playing in 32 of the Generals' 33 matches last season. She recorded a team-high 330 kills while recording 3.08 kills per set for a .226 hitting percentage. She recorded a season-high 26 kills against Swarthmore last season. Debiec's performance on the court helped her earn Second Team All-ODAC honors while being named to the Gettysburg Battlefield Classic All-Tournament Team during the opening weekend. In her career, Debiec has played in 61 career games recording 537 kills in 223 sets for a 2.41 kills per set.

Off the Court: Debiec, a biochemistry major, has earned multiple W&L Scholar Athlete and Academic All-ODAC honors while being selected to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Women's Volleyball Academic All-District teams in 2023. Debiec volunteers for the Rockbridge Area Relief Association (RARA) and the W&L Campus Kitchen. She spent the summer of 2024 in the Summer Kidney Research Program at the University of Pittsburgh.

On the Court: Senior Avery Myers enters her second year as a captain of the Blue and White's squad. Last season, Myers played in 94 sets throughout 31 matches. She ranked third in kills with 218 with 2.32 kills per set and a .192 hitting percentage. The outside hitter from New York, N.Y., posted a career-high 17 kills and 53 attacks against Lynchburg this past season. She was named to the 2023 All-ODAC Team after recording 41 kills across three games to help the Generals claim their 19th conference championship in program history. Myers has played in 254 sets across 84 matches in her career, tallying 501 kills with 1.97 kills per set.

Off the Court: Myers, a business administration major, has earned W&L Scholar Athlete honors each semester's while being named to the Academic All-ODAC team three times and to the President's List twice. Myers is a member of the Generals Leadership Academy and the Delta Society Standards Boards and spent the summer of 2024 as a Sales and Trading Summer Analyst at Citigroup.

On the Court: Senior outside hitter Maddie Weller was named a captain for the second-straight season. Last season, Weller played in 81 sets across 29 matches, recording 96 digs for an average of 1.27 digs per set. During her time at W&L, Weller has played in 222 sets across 79 games, recording 74 kills, 283 digs, and 21 service aces.

Off the Court: Weller, an Economics major, has been named an W&L Scholar Athlete six times and the Academic All-ODAC team three times while being selected to the President's List in 2022-23. She spent the summer of 2024 as a Summer Analyst at District Capital Partners.