ROCHESTER, NY – The Roberts Wesleyan University Women's Volleyball team opens the 2025 season on the road with three consecutive tournament road trips starting in Pennsylvania with the Clarion University Invitational from Sept. 5-7.

The Redhawks will play four matches the opening weekend and then West Virginia and Delaware for a pair of four-match tournament the next two weekends before opening the home schedule with East Coast Conference (ECC) matches against Mercy and St. Thomas Aquinas over Homecoming weekend September 27 and 28.

"We are excited to start the season with a large freshman class," said Head Coach Andy Braun, starting his third season at the helm of the program. "We are just as excited to see the veteran returners."

The returners look to continue the growth of the program as the Redhawks adjust from the loss of a large senior class from 2024.

FRESHMEN PROVIDE A SENSE OF MYSTERY FOR OPPONENTS

Teams scouting the Redhawks early in the season will have a tough task as more than half the team is not only new to the Roberts roster but new to college volleyball as well.

The class features seven players from six different states and one from Canada. Serréa Battle (Chattanooga, Tennessee), Tiana Copp (Laurel, Maryland), Sierra George (Newark, New York), Adrianna Orr (Pickerington, Ohio), Alexis Kessler (Hot Springs, Arkansas) and Rachel Dixon (Puyallup, Washington) come from across the United States and Ryan Hull (Kitchener, Ontario) comes from across the northern border to bolster the your Redhawks roster.

"From day one, our freshmen have fit in really well," said Braun. "There were some nerves the first few days but our returners did a really good job of showing them the Roberts way and making them feel comfortable."

The large class will make an immediate impact with spots to fill on the floor and so many matches in the early part of the season.

"More than half the team are freshmen so they will have a lot of opportunities to show us what they can do," said Braun.

HITTING THE ROAD HARD RIGHT FROM THE START

The team plays three tough tournaments on back-to-back-to-back weekends to start the season in three different states with trips to Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware.

"Scheduling is definitely a challenge," said Braun. "We are excited to go to some new tournaments with some tough competition at all three. We like the tough competition because right after that we jump into the tough ECC schedule and we hope the tournaments will help us prepare for those challenges."

POSITIVE CHANGES TO THE COACHING STAFF

Some familiar faces will be on the sidelines next to Braun with assistants Paige Judge and Kelsey Milligan returning for another season but the addition of assistant coach Mitch Segbers adds a new wrinkle to the program.

"I am very blessed to have a great staff. Paige and Kelsey come with great playing experience at their respective colleges," said Braun. "Both are experienced and have a passion to teach the game of volleyball."

Segbers joins the team and will work with the new developmental program. In addition, he will continue to work as an assistant with the Roberts Men's Volleyball program.

"Mitch brings a new look because he has been immersed in the men's game," said Braun. "He has a different outlook so it is interesting to see the things he sees in a different light. We have had a lot of great coaching conversations with the staff about philosophy and we all work well together."

LEADERSHIP FROM THE RETURNERS WILL BE IMPORTANT

Three seniors and two juniors are the meat and potatoes of the Roberts program and all have been with the team for the past 2-3 years.

Seniors Olivia Price, Morgan Burnett and Morgan Verbridge along with juniors Camryn Karelus and Julia Dufková provide the experience for the growing program.

Burnett and Karelus are the team captains and give the coaching staff a strong leadership team.

"The veterans have had a lot of different teammates over the years and that has helped to shape their leadership styles," said Braun. "All the veterans are inclusive and caring about the newcomers to the program."

Two of the players have been selected as team captains but all five offer a sense of leadership to the young squad.

THE GOAL FOR THE PROGRAM IS TO CONTINUE TO GET BETTER

The goals for the team this year are tough to measure but the coaching staff is looking to make improvements in several areas with the hopes of being a much better team at the end of the season.

"If we can take care of the little things the big things will add up," said Braun. We are very process oriented on making sure our systems are in place. We also know that once the game gets going things happen and we need to be able to make the necessary adjustments."