By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The Ohio Valley Conference coaches and communications directors selected the University of Tennessee at Martin to repeat as beach volleyball champions as the Skyhawks received 10 out of 12 first-place votes in the league’s predicted order of finish.
UT Martin garnered 50 points in the poll, which led Chattanooga (two first-place votes, 40 points), Morehead State (36 points), Eastern Illinois (21 points), Tennessee Tech (19 points) and Lindenwood (14 points). This marks the first time in school history that the Skyhawks were crowned as the OVC’s preseason favorite.
Additionally, the league unveiled its Preseason Top-10 Player List today as four UT Martin representatives find themselves as the top seven returners. Dylan Mott was chosen as the third-best player in the league while Logan Wallick and Haeleigh Paulino were tied for fourth. Trailing not too far behind was Kayla Carrell, who was tied at No. 7 on the list.
A redshirt sophomore from Hendersonville, Tenn., Mott was responsible for a 16-10 overall record and 5-3 mark against OVC competition last season – leading to OVC Freshman of the Year, All-OVC first team and OVC All-Freshman accolades. She mostly played out of the No. 1 position, going 15-7 in that slot of the lineup.
Wallick claimed All-OVC second team status in 2022 and was an All-OVC first team performer in 2021. Hailing from Waddell, Ariz., she has pieced together a 33-21 career record and is 15-3 in such decisions against OVC opponents. In 2022, she posted a 15-11 record with a 5-3 mark in OVC play while mostly being partnered up alongside Paulino.
Today’s announcement also marks the latest in a long string of OVC accolades for Paulino, who was an All-OVC first teamer in 2021 and an All-OVC second team honoree a year ago when she went 18-8 with a 7-1 league record. For her career, the senior out of Peoria, Ariz. sports a 39-12 record with a sizzling 17-1 mark against OVC competition.
Carrell is the program’s all-time leader in single-season victories, set just last season when she pieced together a 24-1 record (8-0 in OVC) on the way to All-OVC second team honors. She owns a career record of 37-12 in all matches while emerging victorious in 14 of her 18 matchups in OVC play.
The sixth all-time season of Skyhawk beach volleyball is upon us as the 2023 campaign officially begins today when UT Martin takes on Hendrix College (11 a.m.) at an Opening Day tournament hosted by Missouri State in Ozark, Mo.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information