Ole Miss volleyball aiming for SEC title in coach Kayla Banwarth鈥檚 second year
OXFORD, Miss. (BVM) 鈥� Kayla Banwarth is set to begin her second year as the head volleyball coach with Ole Miss. Under Banwarth鈥檚 direction, the Rebels are primed to make a run for the top spot in the conference.聽
The Rebels had their second-best start to the season ever under Banwarth. With a roster that included nine underclassmen, the Rebels started 12-0. Although the season ended with a loss to Creighton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, it was something positive to build on after the team went 1-19 the year prior.聽
And now the Rebels are ready to run it back. This upcoming season they鈥檒l have six new recruits to help them accomplish their goals of winning an SEC title.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e all extremely talented [the Class of 2022],鈥� Banwarth said. 鈥淏ut more importantly, really high character people. They鈥檙e people that are going to continue to build the culture of Ole Miss volleyball.鈥�
Those six new recruits are Aly Borellis, Tessa Jones, Shayla Meyer, Vivian Miller, Cammy Johnson and Emma Schwieger.
Borellis is a four-year letter winner from Rochester, Mich. She attended Notre Dame Preparatory and was part of the 2020 Prep Volleyball Top 150 list. Borellis also had a career-best 761 assists as a sophomore and was a three-time district champion.
Niesen is also another great player that is set to join the Rebels. She is the all-time dig leader at Roger Bacon High school. Niesen also holds the single-season record for aces and the single-season dig record.聽
Along with the passing and the defensive efforts of Borellis and Niesen, the next four commits can rack up the points for the Rebels. Two of those offensive talents come from Jupiter, Fla. Miller earned 243 kills her senior year and was named to the 2020 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) phenom list.
鈥淰ivian is the total package,鈥� Coach Banwarth said. 鈥淭here are six [basic] skills in volleyball and she does all six at a really high level.鈥�
Schwieger, from Winter Park, Fla., accumulated 270 kills her senior year. Schwieger was ranked as the No. 1 right side hitter in the Florida in the Class of 2022 and named Central Florida鈥檚 4A Player of the Year.
Now with two players from Florida, the next two players hail for the Midwest. Jones comes from Cleves, Ohio and Meyer is from Superior, Nebraska. Both are outstanding offensive weapons for Coach Banwarth. Jones totaled 735 career kills and was selected to participate in the 2021 Ohio All-Star match. Meyer totaled 1,700 career kills and was named to first-team all-conference three years in a row.聽
When it comes to first or second-year head coaches, expectations usually aren’t that high. But for Banwarth and her team, that isn’t the case. Banwarth was a standout player at Nebraska and helped Team USA win the bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics. Before taking the Ole Miss job she helped Nebraska volleyball to four straight conference championships, three Final Four appearances and a national title as an assistant coach.
鈥淚 want to continue to build a winning culture at Ole Miss every day,鈥� Banwarth said.
They may not be the betting favorites to win the SEC this year, but with Coach Barnwarth鈥檚 work ethic, a more experienced roster and with six new recruits, the Rebels should be expected to be at or near the top of the standings once the season starts.聽
