A look at the Tennessee volleyball roster: Who will – and won't – be back this season

Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel

July 13, 2022 at 7:14 AM·4 min read

Tennessee volleyball returns a strong core from the 2021 team that finished fourth in the SEC and made it to the NCAA second round.

In Lady Vols coach Eve Rackham Watt's fifth season, UT was picked to finish third in the conference by SEC coaches, receiving one first place vote. Three Lady Vols were selected for the All-SEC preseason team, the most preseason honors for the program and the second-most selections behind Kentucky, which is the favorite to win the league.

Morgahn Fingall, Natalie Hayward and Danielle Mahaffey all made the preseason team. All three are returning seniors – Hayward and Mahaffey are fifth-years taking advantage of their extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of COVID-19.

Tennessee's roster saw some turnover outside of graduating seniors in the offseason. Here's what you need to know about the 2022 roster.

Biggest losses

Lily Felts

The most significant loss to the portal for Tennessee was All-SEC outside hitter Lily Felts. The three-time All-SEC outside hitter transferred to Florida Gulf Coast for her COVID-granted fifth season. Felts was third on the team in kills (285), points (339) and assists (54) in 2021. She also became the 22nd player in program history to reach 1,000 career kills.

Madison Bryant

Bryant was Tennessee's top libero of the 2021 season, playing in all 30 matches and 108 sets. The junior defensive specialist led Tennessee in digs with 370 and was second in assists behind Hayward with 131. Bryant, a rising senior with two years of eligibility left, was announced in June as a new member for Duke.

HOW 2021 ENDED: Tennessee volleyball falls in second round of NCAA Tournament to Ohio State

A COACH'S QUICK SUCCESS: How Eve Rackham Watt changed Tennessee volleyball and found success from the jump

Key returners

Ava Bell

Bell was a crucial piece of Tennessee's net defense last season. The middle blocker ranked second with a career-high 118 blocks and averaged 1.24 blocks per set. Bell hit .397 on her way to 151 kills in 2021. She earned both SEC Offensive Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors last season.

Danielle Mahaffey

Mahaffey is coming off of one of the best defensive seasons in the country in 2021. The middle blocker had a career-best and team-high 139 blocks and averaged 1.38 blocks per set, which ranked second in the SEC and eighth in the nation last season. The senior middle blocker hit a career high .380 and was fourth on the team with 183 kills.

Natalie Hayward

Tennessee's All-SEC setter might be the most significant returner. Hayward tallied 1,162 assists and averaged 10.66 assists per set in 2021, which was a career-high and ranked fourth in the SEC and 31st nationally. She also had career-bests in kills (105), hitting percentage (.394), digs (296) and blocks (81).

Morgahn Fingall

Fingall is a senior right side hitter who was arguably Tennessee's best offensive player last season. She ranked second with 338 kills, averaged 3.22 kills per set and hit at .250. Fingall is also a key blocker, ranking third on the team with 100 blocks and 94 block assists.

Significant additions

Kadynce Boothe

Boothe is a freshman outside hitter from Kernersville, North Carolina. She holds the East Forsyth High School single-season records for kills (588), digs (273), kill percentage (47.7) and kills per set (6.39). Boothe earned 2021 AVCA High School Third-Team All-America honors. Based on the personnel returning and transfers added, Boothe has the best shot at getting playing time of the three incoming freshmen.

Kylie Robinson

Robinson, a redshirt senior setter and transfer from Oregon. She averaged 4.78 assists per set and 2.05 digs per set in 2021. Robinson finished her Oregon career with 1,705 assists for a 6.18 assists per set average.

Erykah Lovett

Lovett is a sophomore outside hitter and transfer from Long Beach State. As a freshman, Lovett played all 31 matches and was second on the team in kills with 294. She led the team in service aces with 42 and posted a conference-leading average of 0.39 aces per set.

Cora Hall: Covering UT women's athletics
Twitter | cora.hall@knoxnews.com
For exclusive sports content and premium perks, subscribe today!

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee volleyball roster: Who will and won't be back for 2022

TODAY
Egg shortage leaves empty shelves in several states — here’s why
There's an egg shortage that has lead to empty shelves in several U.S. states. According to experts, bird flu is by far the biggest factor affecting egg prices right now.
Reuters
Namibia votes with ruling party seeking to extend 34-year rule
Namibians go to the polls on Wednesday to elect a new president and parliament in what could be a tough election for the ruling SWAPO party, which is seeking to extend its 34-year rule. SWAPO has governed the southern African nation since leading it to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. Its presidential candidate, Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, would be the country's first female leader if she wins.
TODAY
Why are there so many food recalls right now? Experts share tips to stay safe
Why are there so many food recalls lately? Experts discuss food recall trends, outbreaks, and tips for consumers to stay safe.
TODAY
Rude! How to respond to 5 parent-judging comments at Thanksgiving
"Do you really want to hear about my sex life at the dinner table?" and other family holiday comebacks.
USA TODAY
Sen. Mike Rounds thinks he can get the votes to abolish Department of Education
Rounds said he can pass the bill with 50 votes through reconciliation, which is a way to enact legislation on taxes and spending with only a majority.
Associated Press
Colombia to require visas for British citizens in response to UK visa restrictions
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro said Tuesday that his country will impose visa requirements on British citizens, in retaliation for a decision made by the United Kingdom to remove Colombia from a list of countries whose nationals can visit Britain without a tourist visa. In a message published on X, Petro said that due to “the principle of reciprocity” Colombia’s government will begin asking citizens of the UK for visas.
Associated Press
Trump team says Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal brokered by Biden is actually Trump's win
The Biden administration kept President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration closely apprised of its efforts to broker the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah that is slated to go into effect early Wednesday, according to the outgoing Democratic administration. Trump’s team, meanwhile, was quick to spike the football and claim credit for the rare spot of good news for a Democratic administration that's been dragged down by the grinding Mideast conflict. “Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump,” Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice for his national security adviser, said in a post on X on Tuesday, shortly before the Israel Cabinet signed off on the agreement.
Associated Press
A second Massachusetts community reaches a deal with striking teachers
A second Massachusetts community reached a deal with its striking teachers union Tuesday, leaving just one city left to hammer out a final agreement. The Marblehead School Committee and the Marblehead Education Association announced that they reached tentative agreements and that employees will be returning to work and schools will reopen on Wednesday, which is an early release day for students ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. “Both the School Committee and the Association recognize the stress and hardship caused to our students and families during the school closures and we are committed to ensuring that the reopening of our schools will be a positive experience for our students and school community,” officials said in a statement.
NBC News
The senators who will determine the fate of Trump's Cabinet picks: From the Politics Desk
Meet the Republican and Democratic senators will will determine whether Trump's Cabinet picks will be confirmed next year.
Reuters
Samsung Elec replaces memory and foundry business heads in sweeping reshuffle
Samsung Electronics said on Wednesday it has named Jun Young-hyun as the new head of its memory chip business and co-CEO of the company, while Han Jin-man will become the head of the foundry business with a promotion to president. Samsung also named Nam Seok-woo who has been head of chip factory engineering and operations as the Chief Technology Officer of the foundry business. Jun, the new memory chip head, was brought in to head the semiconductor division in May in what the company said was a move to tackle a "chip crisis".
AFP
Ceasefire to begin in Israel-Hezbollah war
US President Joe Biden said a Lebanon truce would take effect early Wednesday, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would allow Israel to focus its attention on Hamas and arch-enemy Iran.Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron said the ceasefire would protect Israel from Hezbollah and create the conditions for a "lasting calm".
CNN
What we know about missing Hawaii woman Hannah Kobayashi and the death of her father
It’s been two weeks since Hawaii woman Hannah Kobayashi went missing after she did not board a connecting flight to New York City during a layover at Los Angeles International Airport on November 8.
Associated Press
Pilot who rescued animals all over the country dies in crash. 2 of his canine passengers survived
When Seuk Kim took off from Maryland last weekend with three small dogs aboard his plane, it was the latest of many volunteer flights he had made to rescue animals in need. After realizing a childhood dream of becoming a pilot, Kim transported cats and dogs from disaster areas, overcrowded shelters and other misfortunes — including a dog trapped for days in a shipping container — to rescue groups.
AFP
Bolivia announces $1 bn deal with China to build lithium plants
Bolivia said Tuesday it had signed a $1 billion deal with China's CBC, a subsidiary of the world's largest lithium battery producer CATL, to build two lithium carbonate production plants in the country's southwest.Bolivia claims to have the world's largest lithium deposits.
AFP
Alleged smuggler had meth-soaked cow onesie in suitcase: US officials
A would-be drug smuggler soaked a cow onesie in methamphetamine, part of a whole suitcase full of clothes he tried to sneak aboard a plane, US justice officials said Tuesday.There they found more than a dozen items of clothing -- including the cow onesie -- that were dried stiff and covered in a white residue, according to the department.
USA TODAY
Supposed Greene quip comparing Gaetz's conduct to all of Congress was satire | Fact check
Marjorie Taylor Greene said members of Congress covered up sexual misconduct, but a purported quote from her about the problem came from a satirist.
Associated Press
Australia's House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media
Australia’s House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media, leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law. The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced.
AFP
Biden hails Lebanon ceasefire deal as 'good news'
President Joe Biden on Tuesday welcomed as "good news" a US and French-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, saying he hoped it could be a springboard to peace in Gaza too."I have some good news to report from the Middle East," Biden, who is due to leave office in less than two months, said in a speech in the Rose Garden of the White House.
NBC News
Ex-FBI informant charged with lies at 'heart' of Biden impeachment effort indicted on new tax charges
WASHINGTON — A former FBI informant whose false claims about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden were at "the heart" of the Republican impeachment inquiry against the president has now been indicted on tax charges.
CNN
Men at risk for heart disease may develop dementia 10 years before women, study says
Being at higher risk of heart disease may cause dementia to appear in men a decade before it will occur in similarly at-risk women, a new study found.

Biggest losses

Key returners

Significant additions

Latest Stories