SAN ANGELO - The Angelo State volleyball team is back home as they host the NCAA South Central Regional for only the third time in program history. They welcome seven other teams into the Junell Center - Stephens Arena as the Belles search for their second-ever regional championship and first since 2016, the last time they hosted the regional.
LAST TIME OUT
The Belles won their 11th LSC Tournament in program history with a four-set win over West Texas A&M inside The Box. They defeated Oklahoma Christian and UT Tyler to reach the title game, handing the Lady Buffs only their second loss in an LSC Tournament Championship match.
KILLIN' IT
The Belles lead the LSC in points, kills, and assists as they possess one of the most potent attacks in Division II. Their 14.57 kills per set are sixth in the country and second in the region, while their 13.68 assists per set are seventh in the country and second in the region.
Adeline Ortman is seventh nationally in assists, while
Madi Parrish and
Evelyn Torres are second and third in the LSC in points per set, respectively.
BELLES ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Madi Parrish,
Adeline Ortman, and
Demi Carter were named to the LSC All-Tournament Team for their play during the LSC Tournament. Parrish earned Tournament MVP honors.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
The Belles' freshmen attackers -
Demi Carter,
Sydney Thornton,
Julia Hopkins,
Amelia Creacy, and
Taryn Barnes - have supplemented the Belles' offense this season, hitting .282 as a group and averaging 2.66 kills per set.
HOME COOKING
Under head coach
Chuck Waddington, the Belles have a 197-34 record inside the Junell Center - Stephens Arena, good enough for an .853 winning percentage. The Belles went 11-1 on their home court this season.
BELLES SET ATTENDANCE RECORD
The Belles' match on Friday, September 6th, against New Mexico Highlands featured 3,315 fans in the stands, which set the Lone Star Conference record for single-match attendance. The match was the third-most attended Division II volleyball match in history.
BELLES IN THE POLLS
•The Belles are 7th in the AVCA/Taraflex Division II Top 25, totaling 851 points in the poll.
•The Belles were the two seed in the 2024 LSC Tournament. Under Waddington, the Belles have qualified for the tournament every season.
•The Belles were picked third in the LSC Preseason Poll behind West Texas A&M and DBU, receiving two first-place votes.
•They are one of three LSC teams in the poll, joining eighth-ranked West Texas A&M and receiving votes DBU.
•The Belles are on their 11th straight week in the top 25. The Belles are amongst the nation's top 25 for the first time since September 2022; they had featured in the receiving votes section every week since the start of the 2023 season.
•The Belles started the 2021 season ranked first in the country off the heels of the 2021 AVCA National Championship; they spent the entire 2021 season within the top 25 of the poll.
SCOUTING COLORADO CHRISTIAN
AVCA RANK: N/A
2024 RECORD: 19-10, 9-5 RMAC
Watch LIVE on FloCollege | Live Stats
Colorado Christian went 19-10 this season and 9-5 in RMAC play. The Cougars made the RMAC Tournament final for the first time, defeating regionally ranked South Dakota Mines and Colorado Mesa. This is the Cougars' second NCAA Tournament appearance, having last made the postseason in 2012.
The Cougars hit .238 as a team, averaging 13.99 kills per set. Abby Newell leads the team with 3.48 kills per set, while Lilly Woods paces CCU with a .360 hitting percentage. Setter Izzy Jones averages 11.01 assists per set.
CCU's defense holds opponents to a .182 hitting percentage. Libero Shelby Hernandez leads the team with 4.81 digs per set, and Woods leads the way at the net with 1.30 blocks per set.
The Belles are 3-2 all-time against the Cougars, with the Cougars winning the last two matches in 2018 and 2022, both of which took place in Colorado. The Belles are 2-0 against the Cougars in San Angelo, with both wins happening at the KBI in 2017.
THE REST OF THE FIELD
Second-seed West Texas A&M is making its 31st NCAA Tournament appearance. The Lady Buffs are the three-time defending regional champions and have a 65-26 record all-time in the NCAA tournament.
They open their tournament against seven-seed UT Tyler, who qualify for their fourth NCAA Tournament in as many seasons. The Patriots are 1-3 in the tournament, with all three losses coming at the hands of WT.
MSU Denver, the third seed, is making its 24th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament after winning the RMAC Tournament. The Roadrunners have made the last three regional finals, falling to West Texas A&M each time.
Texas Woman's, the sixth seed, will face the Roadrunners in the first round. MSU Denver is 5-0 all-time against the Pioneers, with the last matchup taking place in 1997. This is the Pioneers' first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015 and the fifth in program history.
Four-seed DBU is making their fifth appearance in the tournament and third in a row, while five-seed Colorado Mesa is making their 12th overall and fourth in a row. This will be the third straight meeting between these two teams in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. They split their previous two matches.
PERSONAL BESTS THIS SEASON
Thirteen Belles have recorded at least one personal best in 2024.
- Outside hitter Taryn Barnes recorded two kills three times this season. She has recorded three digs twice.
- Middle Demi Carter recorded 15 kills against No. 20 DBU on Sept. 19. She had two digs against New Mexico Highlands. She recorded eight blocks versus LCU on Oct. 26.
- Right side Amelia Creacy recorded seven kills against Fort Lewis, hitting .250, and a pair of digs against the Skyhawks. Against No. 3 WT, she had three blocks.
- Defensive specialist Allie Duitsman recorded three digs against Sul Ross on Oct. 18. She had a kill and three digs against the Lobos. She notched her first career ace to clinch the match against DBU on Sept. 19.
- Libero Caleigh Enax set a new career best with 38 digs in the Belles' five-set win over TWU on Sept. 28.
- Outside hitter Julia Hopkins had ten kills in the Belles' comeback win over Texas Woman's on Sept. 28. She also had three digs and a block against the Pioneers.
- Setter Alli Kirkpatrick recorded three kills and four blocks against Sul Ross State on Oct. 18.
- Setter Adeline Ortman assisted 59 times in the LSC Semifinal versus UT Tyler in their five-set win over the Patriots.
- Outside hitter Madi Parrish set a new career best with 25 kills in the Belles' LSC Semifinal win over UT Tyler on Nov. 22. She also recorded a best four aces in the Belles' road sweep of Western Colorado on Sept. 10.
- Defensive specialist Krizia Perez notched ten digs against Texas Woman's on Sept. 28. She had a pair of aces at St. Edward's on November 1st.
- Middle Hannah Spencer tallied 12 kills in the Belles' win over Texas Woman's on Sept. 28, her second-ever match with double-digit kills.
- Middle Sydney Thornton had 14 kills in the Belles' win over No. 15 Colorado Mesa on Sept. 14. She recorded nine blocks in the Belles' LSC Semifinal win over UT Tyler on Nov. 22.
- Outside hitter Evelyn Torres recorded 25 digs in the Belles' five-set loss to No. 23 Central Oklahoma on Sept. 6. She set a new career high with 25 kills in the Belles' win over Texas Woman's on Sept. 28. She has tied her personal best of four blocks twice this season.
RETURNING STATS
ASU returns four starters and ten letter winners from last year's team while adding ten newcomers, including three Division II transfers.
Angelo State returns 46.9 percent (746 of 1589) of its kills, 67 percent (134 of 200) of its service aces, 70.7 percent (1337 of 1892) of its digs, and 50.8 percent of its blocks (99 of 195) from last season's team.
BELLES ADD TEN
Angelo State brought in ten newcomers in 2024, with seven freshmen and three Division II transfers joining the ten returners from last year's team.
Adeline Ortman
Graduate Student * 5-7 * Setter
Rhome, Texas * UT Tyler
Two-time All-LSC selection who ranked fourth in the LSC in assists last season for UT Tyler
Raelee Allen
Freshman * 5-9 * Outside Hitter
San Antonio, Texas * Reagan HS
6A Offensive Player of the Year in 2018-19
Taryn Barnes
Freshman * 5-9 * Outside Hitter
Southlake, Texas * Carroll HS
Two-time All-District selection for the Dragons
Sydney Thornton
Freshman * 5-10 * Middle Blocker
Prosper, Texas * Prosper HS
Recorded 594 kills and 289 blocks in her prep career
Julia Hopkins
Freshman * 6-0 * Outside Hitter
Austin, Texas * Westwood HS
District MVP for the Warriors
Amelia Creacy
Freshman * 6-1 * Right Side
Cypress, Texas * Bridegland HS
Two-time Offensive Player of the Year at Bridgeland HS
Demi Carter
Freshman * 6-2 * Middle Blocker
Bridge City, Texas * Bridge City HS
Recorded 1,353 career kills, 258 blocks, 522 digs, and 221 aces; District 19-4A MVP in 2022
Allie Duitsman
Freshman * 5-6 * Defensive Specialist
Prosper, Texas * Prosper HS
2023 First Team All-District selection
Ella Unterweger
Junior * 5-9 * Outside Hitter
Oconomowoc, Wis. * St. Cloud State
Member of the 2022 NSIC Tournament Championship team
Marta Roicka
Graduate Student * 6-0 * Setter
Warsaw, Poland * Gannon
Helped Golden Knights to two PSAC championships and an appearance in the Elite Eight
CAREER RECORDS
With her fifth dig against Central Oklahoma on September 6th, senior libero
Caleigh Enax became the 17th player in program history and the 12th in the rally-scoring era to eclipse the 1,000-dig mark. She has 1,524 career digs, which ranks 6th all-time and 5th in the rally-scoring era. Additionally, teammate
Adeline Ortman recorded her 2,000th career assist in the Belles' win over West Texas A&M on September 19th. She has 2,770 career assists, second-most among active players in the LSC.
Evelyn Torres recorded her 1,000th career kill in the Belles sweep of Texas A&M-Kingsville on October 12th, with the milestone kill finishing off the second set for the Belles.
