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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, August 29
Atlanta, Ga.
2 PM
Ole Miss
vs
Arkansas State
Volleyball Set to Open 2025 Campaign at Georgia Tech Classic
8/28/2025 | Volleyball
ATLANTA, Ga. – The Ole Miss volleyball program returns to action following a historic 2024 campaign, opening the season at the Georgia Tech Classic at the O'Keefe Gymnasium.
The Rebels (0-0, 0-0 SEC) open the regular season against Arkansas State (0-0, 0-0 Sun Belt) on Friday at 2 p.m. CT, before facing the host No. 22 Georgia Tech (0-0, 0-0 ACC) on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT. The Rebels will wrap up the weekend against Wofford (0-0, 0-0 SoCon) on Sunday at 10 a.m. CT.
Saturday's match will be the lone streamed, as the Rebels face the Yellow Jackets on ACC Network Extra.
RALLY POINTS
SERIES HISTORY
LAST TIME OUT
The last time Ole Miss took the court, the Rebels had just made history, reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. While the Rebels came up short in a three-set loss to No. 6 Creighton, Ole Miss pushed the Bluejays to the brink in the opening two sets, falling 26-28 and 25-27. Mokihana Tufono recorded a double-double of 30 assists and 10 digs, while Cammy Niesen added 10 digs.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Senior libero Cammy Niesen enters her final collegiate season with eyes on not only setting, but ultimately smashing the program's all-eras dig record. The 2024 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year has been a model of consistency her entire career and stands just 237 digs away from setting a new record that is currently held by Morgan Springer.
Niesen has quietly emerged as one of the best liberos in the SEC over her dynamic career. Last season, Niesen led the SEC in total digs with 537, which also ranked 33rd in the nation. Niesen's digs per set stood at third in the SEC at 4.48, just marginally behind Missouri's Maya Sands (4.53) and Arkansas' recent graduate Courtney Jackson (4.49).
In fact, Niesen ranked sixth among all national juniors at the end of the 2024 season in total digs and appears poised to rank among the nation's highest active leaders for the entire season.
HONORED BY THE SEC
Setter Mokihana Tufono, who turned heads in her debut season in Oxford, was named to the All-SEC Preseason Team earlier this offseason. Tufono, who started her collegiate career at UCLA, developed into one of the top setters in the conference under head coach Bre Henry, earning AVCA All-South Region honors and recording 1,173 assists. Tufono also notched 286 digs, 60.0 total blocks, 43 kills and 21 service aces.
TRANSFER TO THE SIP
Head coach Bre Henry and her staff were active in the transfer portal this offseason, landing several big names in an effort to reload following the graduation of several program legends (Sasha Ratliff & Payton Brgoch).
The most notable addition was All-Big Sky hitter and former Big Sky Freshman of the Year Gabi Placide, who joins the program with two seasons of eligibility remaining after opening her career at Northern Colorado. Over two seasons at UNC, Placide recorded 739 kills, 248 digs, 150 blocks, 40 aces and 15 assists.
Joining Placide is middle blocker Jordyn Towns, who makes the move over from Alabama to join the Rebels for her final two collegiate seasons. The 6'6" Towns becomes the tallest Rebel in program history and immediately will fill a void left by the losses of Brgoch and Ratliff. Over two seasons at Alabama, Towns tallied 195 kills and 82.0 total blocks to lead the Crimson Tide block.
Former Cal State Bakersfield setter Vivianna Samaniego and Kankakee Community College standout hitter Aniya Lewis round out the transfer class, with both having three seasons of eligibility remaining.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
Throughout the entirety of the 2025 season, Ole Miss athletics and the volleyball program will honor and recognize many who have contributed to the success and legacy of the program over 50 years of volleyball.
The program has tallied over 800 wins, reached five NCAA Tournaments and won the 2017 NIVC championship. Nineteen student-athletes have earned All-SEC honors, 16 have earned AVCA All-Region and three have been named All-Americans as the program has blossomed over generations of standout student-athletes.
The success of the program has built on the foundation of countless student-athletes who have gone on to earn a degree from the University of Mississippi and take their talents throughout the world.
ETCHED IN HISTORY
Ole Miss volleyball legend Regina Thomas was recently named to the M-Club Hall of Fame this season. In her dynamic career, Thomas became the first Ole Miss volleyball athlete to be recognized as an All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), earning third team honors in 2010 and honorable mention in 2011. She was the first Rebel to be selected All-South Region twice (2010-11) by the AVCA.
A three-time All-SEC honoree, Thomas currently ranks third in the record book for career attack percentage rally scoring (Min. 1,500 attempts) at .340 and third in a match in rally scoring (play to 25) at .682. Thomas was nominated as a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in 2011 due to her notable achievements in the community and classroom.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Several Rebels are poised to etch their names in the all-time record books in 2025 across multiple different metrics.
In addition to her pursuit of the all-eras digs record at Ole Miss, Cammy Niesen is also poised to enter the top-10 all-time in service aces, with 53 in her career. That stands just 16 outside the rally scoring era's top-10. Shayla Meyer also has her sights on the same list, standing at 41 service aces across just two seasons of action.
Mokihana Tufono continues her rapid ascent of the assists charts in her short time at Ole Miss. Tufono currently sits 10th all-time in the rally scoring era with 1,173 and 17th across all eras, despite only playing one season.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.
The Rebels (0-0, 0-0 SEC) open the regular season against Arkansas State (0-0, 0-0 Sun Belt) on Friday at 2 p.m. CT, before facing the host No. 22 Georgia Tech (0-0, 0-0 ACC) on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT. The Rebels will wrap up the weekend against Wofford (0-0, 0-0 SoCon) on Sunday at 10 a.m. CT.
Saturday's match will be the lone streamed, as the Rebels face the Yellow Jackets on ACC Network Extra.
RALLY POINTS
- The Rebels open the 2025 campaign at the Georgia Tech Classic on the heels of the program's first ever NCAA Tournament victory last season.
- Senior Mokihana Tufono was named to the Preseason All-SEC Team ahead of the 2025 campaign. Tufono was one of 15 student-athletes and just two setters tabbed to the list, alongside Tennessee's Caroline Kerr.
- The Ole Miss lineup features a mix of returning starters Tufono, Cammy Niesen and Shayla Meyer, alongside talented newcomers, including former All-Big Sky hitter Gabi Placide and former Alabama blocker Jordyn Towns.
- Niesen now stands at 1,395 career digs, with the total ranking third all-time at Ole Miss and just 60 away from sole possession of second.
- The Rebels roster features nine newcomers, as well as three additional returning freshmen from the 2024 roster. Five are incoming freshmen and four are transfers.
- The Rebels are 8-4 in their last 12 season-opening matches.
SERIES HISTORY
- The Rebels and Arkansas State resume their lengthy all-time series in their 60th match all-time. The Rebels hold a 37-22 lead in the all-time ledger, but are seeking a bounce back performance following a four-set loss in Jonesboro last season.
- The Rebels are set to clash with Georgia Tech for the fourth time, with the Yellow Jackets leading the all-time series 2-1. The Rebels are making their first trip to Atlanta, but last met in 2022 in Oxford, with Georgia Tech earning a 3-1 victory. Cammy Niesen is the lone holdover on the roster from that match, recording nine digs and four assists.
- Ole Miss is meeting Wofford for just the second time in program history and the first time since 2012, where the Terriers emerged with a five-set victory.
LAST TIME OUT
The last time Ole Miss took the court, the Rebels had just made history, reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. While the Rebels came up short in a three-set loss to No. 6 Creighton, Ole Miss pushed the Bluejays to the brink in the opening two sets, falling 26-28 and 25-27. Mokihana Tufono recorded a double-double of 30 assists and 10 digs, while Cammy Niesen added 10 digs.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Senior libero Cammy Niesen enters her final collegiate season with eyes on not only setting, but ultimately smashing the program's all-eras dig record. The 2024 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year has been a model of consistency her entire career and stands just 237 digs away from setting a new record that is currently held by Morgan Springer.
Niesen has quietly emerged as one of the best liberos in the SEC over her dynamic career. Last season, Niesen led the SEC in total digs with 537, which also ranked 33rd in the nation. Niesen's digs per set stood at third in the SEC at 4.48, just marginally behind Missouri's Maya Sands (4.53) and Arkansas' recent graduate Courtney Jackson (4.49).
In fact, Niesen ranked sixth among all national juniors at the end of the 2024 season in total digs and appears poised to rank among the nation's highest active leaders for the entire season.
HONORED BY THE SEC
Setter Mokihana Tufono, who turned heads in her debut season in Oxford, was named to the All-SEC Preseason Team earlier this offseason. Tufono, who started her collegiate career at UCLA, developed into one of the top setters in the conference under head coach Bre Henry, earning AVCA All-South Region honors and recording 1,173 assists. Tufono also notched 286 digs, 60.0 total blocks, 43 kills and 21 service aces.
TRANSFER TO THE SIP
Head coach Bre Henry and her staff were active in the transfer portal this offseason, landing several big names in an effort to reload following the graduation of several program legends (Sasha Ratliff & Payton Brgoch).
The most notable addition was All-Big Sky hitter and former Big Sky Freshman of the Year Gabi Placide, who joins the program with two seasons of eligibility remaining after opening her career at Northern Colorado. Over two seasons at UNC, Placide recorded 739 kills, 248 digs, 150 blocks, 40 aces and 15 assists.
Joining Placide is middle blocker Jordyn Towns, who makes the move over from Alabama to join the Rebels for her final two collegiate seasons. The 6'6" Towns becomes the tallest Rebel in program history and immediately will fill a void left by the losses of Brgoch and Ratliff. Over two seasons at Alabama, Towns tallied 195 kills and 82.0 total blocks to lead the Crimson Tide block.
Former Cal State Bakersfield setter Vivianna Samaniego and Kankakee Community College standout hitter Aniya Lewis round out the transfer class, with both having three seasons of eligibility remaining.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
Throughout the entirety of the 2025 season, Ole Miss athletics and the volleyball program will honor and recognize many who have contributed to the success and legacy of the program over 50 years of volleyball.
The program has tallied over 800 wins, reached five NCAA Tournaments and won the 2017 NIVC championship. Nineteen student-athletes have earned All-SEC honors, 16 have earned AVCA All-Region and three have been named All-Americans as the program has blossomed over generations of standout student-athletes.
The success of the program has built on the foundation of countless student-athletes who have gone on to earn a degree from the University of Mississippi and take their talents throughout the world.
ETCHED IN HISTORY
Ole Miss volleyball legend Regina Thomas was recently named to the M-Club Hall of Fame this season. In her dynamic career, Thomas became the first Ole Miss volleyball athlete to be recognized as an All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), earning third team honors in 2010 and honorable mention in 2011. She was the first Rebel to be selected All-South Region twice (2010-11) by the AVCA.
A three-time All-SEC honoree, Thomas currently ranks third in the record book for career attack percentage rally scoring (Min. 1,500 attempts) at .340 and third in a match in rally scoring (play to 25) at .682. Thomas was nominated as a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in 2011 due to her notable achievements in the community and classroom.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Several Rebels are poised to etch their names in the all-time record books in 2025 across multiple different metrics.
In addition to her pursuit of the all-eras digs record at Ole Miss, Cammy Niesen is also poised to enter the top-10 all-time in service aces, with 53 in her career. That stands just 16 outside the rally scoring era's top-10. Shayla Meyer also has her sights on the same list, standing at 41 service aces across just two seasons of action.
Mokihana Tufono continues her rapid ascent of the assists charts in her short time at Ole Miss. Tufono currently sits 10th all-time in the rally scoring era with 1,173 and 17th across all eras, despite only playing one season.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.
Players Mentioned
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