SAVANNAH, Ga.- The Savannah State University volleyball team is set to open preseason camp for its 2023 campaign.
The Lady Tigers will report to campus on August 8 and their first practice will be on Aug. 9 at 4 p.m. at Wiley-Willcox Gymnasium.
SSU returns 12 players from last season with two of those being red-shirted this season. The team will also welcome five newcomers to the program.
Head coach Roselidah Obunaga will be entering her fourth full year as head coach after serving as interim in 2019. Under her leadership, the program has improved greatly with three consecutive SIAC Championship appearances. Last season, the team posted a 12-12 overall record and a 12-7 mark in conference play. Both were program records.
Destinee Langston, who earned All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team honors last season, returns as outside hitter. The Fayetteville, Georgia native was also the recipient of this year's Elite 14 award which recognizes student-athletes who have reached the pinnacle of competition at the SIAC championship level while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers.
Other returnees include
Amariah Wynne,
Jessee Grubesic,
Destiny Gaines,
Allena Norton,
Jaeda Austin,
Kloe Ludy,
Tori Lasley,
Sydney Harville and
Dorothea Ruffin.
During the off-season, Obunaga brought in three high school graduates and two transfers.
Jada Young (South Point High School/Rock Hill, South Carolina), AaLiyah Mitchell (Fountainblueau HS/Covington, Louisiana) and Mina Ezikpe (Discovery HS/Lawrenceville, GA) come from the high school ranks while Tiana Curry and Montana Disegna are the two transfers. Curry, who is a native of Tallahassee, Florida, comes to SSU from Pensacola State College and Disegna, who hails from La Mesa, California, is a transfer from St. Peters University.
The 2023 campaign features 25 games with ten marked as home games during the regular season.
Prior to opening the season, Savannah State volleyball will host the annual Orange and Blue Scrimmage on August 30 in Tiger Arena. The scrimmage is free and open to the public. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
SSU opens the regular season on September 1 in a non-conference game against Middle Georgia State University in Macon, Georgia. On Sept. 6, they open the 2023 SIAC schedule at home against Albany State University with a 6 p.m. match.
