By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin beach volleyball squad opens the 2022 campaign with four matches in two days (March 11-12) at the Governors Beach Challenge in Clarksville, Tenn.
This weekend marks the first of five regular season tournaments on the Skyhawk docket, three of which will take place in Clarksville. UT Martin also will take part in home-and-home double duals against North Alabama before setting its sights on the Ohio Valley Conference Championships, held on April 28-30 in Morehead, Ky.
The Skyhawks will take on Central Arkansas (12:30 p.m.) and Austin Peay (3:30 p.m.) on Friday, March 11 before closing out the event against Carson-Newman (1 p.m.) and Jacksonville State (4 p.m.) on Saturday, March 12.
UT Martin returns 10 players from 2021, which was the best season in school history. Despite the shortened campaign, the Skyhawks went 10-7 and advanced to the first-ever OVC Championship finals – piecing together more wins than the program’s first three years combined.
Amongst UT Martin’s top returnees are Logan Wallick, Karen Scanlon and Haeleigh Paulino. Last month, that trio was spotlighted by OVC head coaches as three of the league’s top six players in the league for 2022. Wallick and Paulino nabbed All-OVC first team and OVC All-Tournament status last spring after going 15-1 overall with a perfect 10-0 mark in league play. Scanlon was also named to the All-OVC second team last season after going 8-6 overall with a 6-4 record in OVC competition.
Kayla Carrell, who brought home All-OVC second team accolades alongside Scanlon last season, also returns for the Skyhawks. Hannah Phillips and Lucy Kaufman – who played at the No. 1 position for all 17 matches last season – are additionally back after being named to the OVC All-Tournament team.
Addison Conley (10-7 overall, 6-4 OVC) and Kambree Lucas (7-4 overall, 3-2 OVC) return in 2022 to give UT Martin one of the most experienced squads in the conference. Dylan Mott and Addy Vaughn are technically considered returners although the freshman tandem redshirted last season and will make their official Skyhawk debuts this spring.
A half-dozen newcomers will look to break through and make an impact in 2022. That talented list includes transfers Audrey Haworth (Binghamton), Brooke Kuball (MiraCosta College), Francela Ulate (Binghamton) and Mary Leslie Cranford (Itawamba Community College) plus the freshman pair of Kristin Phillips and Hannah Haislip.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information