JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven Volleyball team is preparing for the start of the 2016 season with a trip to Atlanta for the second annual Stormy Petrel Challenge presented by Willy's Mexicana Grill, beginning on Friday.
In 2015, the Blazers finished with a 12-18 record in its first season of NCAA Division III competition in the American Southwest Conference.
The Blazers will play four matches in the two-day, round robin tournament. On Friday, Belhaven will take on host Oglethorpe and Keystone, and then the team will wrap up the weekend Saturday with matches against Transylvania and Piedmont.
In the 20 years of Belhaven Volleyball, the Blazers have faced Oglethorpe once and Piedmont twice. They will face Keystone and Transylvania for the first time in program history.
In their lone appearance, the Blazers defeated Oglethorpe, 3-0, on Oct. 1, 2004.
Belhaven is 2-1 all-time against Piedmont, with their latest victory coming last season at the Huntingdon Invitational on Sept. 4.
Head coach
Justin Dee, who begins his fourth season with the Blazers and his 10th season overall, is ready to see what his freshman class that he calls the "Super Six of Sixteen" can bring for the Green and Gold.
"We have a great group of freshman coming in who can start for us, and we have a great group of returners filling spots", said Dee. "I think we have gained a step from where we were last year, and we are optimistic."
Leading those returners are
Kelly Aholt and
Blaykleigh Smythe, who were named to ASC Preseason Watch List two weeks ago.
Aholt returns to help continue set the Blazers offense in 2016, notching 776 assists for an average of 7.84 per set in 2015. The 776 assists was fourth-best in the ASC last season. Aholt also recorded 208 digs and 21 service aces, and was named to the NCCAA Mideast All-Region Team.
With 1,207 assists in her two-year career with the Blazers, the Scottsdale, Ariz. native is 38 assists behind Marcie Rogers, who notched 1,245 assists in two seasons in 2001-02, for fifth in school history.
Smythe's sophomore season was plagued with injury, but the Phoenix, Ariz. native will look to rebound on the court in 2016. Prior to her injury, Smythe totaled 52 kills in 10 matches, including an 11-kill performance on Sept. 4 vs. Piedmont College. She also recorded 20 total blocks in 2015.
During her freshman campaign in 2014, she recorded 155 kills and 75 total blocks, earning her a spot on the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) All-Freshman Team.
Along with Aholt and Smythe, a key returner for the Green and Gold is sophomore
Lauren Whiting. The Southaven, Miss. native finished with a tie for the most kills with 219, also 10th best in the ASC.
Annelle Anderson returns looking to continue blocking the opposition's attack. The senior finished with 64 total blocks.
The Stormy Petrel Challenge will begin with the Blazers squaring off with host Oglethorpe at 2 p.m. (ET) Friday afternoon. The day will conclude with the matchup against Keystone at 6 p.m. (ET). On Saturday, the Green and Gold open with Transylvania at 10 a.m. (ET), and the tournament wraps up with Piedmont at 2 p.m. (ET).
