SAVANNAH, Ga.- With a roster that includes eight newcomers to go along with seven returnees, Savannah State University head volleyball coach Roselidah Obunaga hopes her team will mix well together and is the right formula that will produce a conference championship.

Since rejoining the SIAC back in 2019, the Lady Tigers have only missed a berth in the conference volleyball tournament once (2023). Last year, SSU made it to the tournament semifinals before bowing out in straight sets to Spring Hill.

Savannah State finished second in the SIAC Eastern Division during the regular season and ended their season setting new marks in single season overall and conference wins. The Lady Tigers were 15-9 overall and posted a 13-6.

The Lady Tigers lost six members from the 2024 squad. O'Niece Roberts, Tiana Curry along with All-SIAC selections Jasmine Nettles and Kloe Ludy used up their eligibility while Sydnee White and Ayanna Klaiber-Norris chose not to return.

Ludy led the team in digs (426) while Norris had a team-high 47 blocks.

The 2025 team will only have two seniors in Saniaa Dickey and 2024 Second Team All-SIAC selection Savannah Everett. Dickey was tops on the team in service aces (42) while Everett had a team leading 353 kills.

Amiyah Walker, who had 526 assists and 247 digs as a freshman, is also back as well as juniors Aaliyah Saunders and Mina Ezikpe and sophomores Iyonna Pike and Makendra Cassell.

Saunders had 45 blocks while Ezikpe had 32. Pike and Cassell both saw limited action last season but should play a bigger role this year.

The eight newcomers include one junior college transfer and seven from the high school ranks.

Connelly Smith is the lone newcomer with junior college experience. The 6-foot junior middle hitter/outside hitter from Augusta, Georgia spent the past two years at USC Salkehatchie. As a freshman, Smith made the NJCAA Division I All-Region 10 Second Team and during the 2024 season she made the NJCAA Division I All-Region 10 First Team as well as NCCAA Division I Player of the Year and was the USC-S's team Most Valuable Player.

Nyalah Smith will also be a middle hitter/outside hitter while Kira Raby, Mya McCall and Talia Taylor were brought in as defensive specialist. Aniyah Prks and Natalie Vaughn will see time as setters and Harmony Flagg will be a opposite hitter.

The incoming freshmen come with some impressive credentials.

Smith, Parks and McCall earned all region honors at their respective schools while Raby finished her high school career with 1,000 career digs and Vaughn won the Coaches Award at her school.

The makeup of the overall roster is made up of players from six different states that include Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Ohio, Illinois and Colorado.

SSU will open the fall season with the annual Orange and Blue Scrimmage on September 1 and will start the regular with non-conference match with Middle Georgia State University on Sept. 4 in Tiger Arena.

Stay Connected
For complete coverage of Savannah State University Athletics, follow the Tigers on social media @SavStateTigers on Facebook, Instagram, and X (Formerly Known As Twitter), or visit the official online home of SSU Athletics at http://ssuathletics.com.