New Season, Same Goal: Women’s Volleyball Enters 2026 With High Expectations

Photo courtesy of former Rampage student photographer Elle Gunter

The women’s volleyball team, led by Head Coach Keven John and Assistant Kyle Pietrzak, have set their standards high and are ready to take the team further than last year.

The Lady Rams have brought some key players back, but Coach John has also been busy bringing in new talent to add strength, height, and depth to the team.

Luckily for the Rams, some incredibly talented players like Morgan Wigg, from Willow River, Minnesota, and Sienna Vitelli, from San Jacinto, California, have returned. The returning star, Wigg, was named Second Team All-Conference for the Appalachian Athletic Account (AAC) last year, scoring 236 kills, averaging 2.62 kills per set, and posting a .211 hitting percentage over the 2025 season.

“Morgan is going to dominate the net when she gets back healthy,” Coach John said.

Vitelli was a key defensive player last year with 220 digs, an average of 2.50 per set. But over the off-season, she improved massively, so she is going to play an even bigger role this year on the team.

“Sienna has potential to be All-Conference with a chance at the Libero of the Year,” Coach John said.

On top of these returning stars, Coach John has recruited new players to strengthen his team so they can take it all the way. The first name that Coach John mentioned was Faith Alsup. Alsup a sophomore out of Lenexa, Kansas, and transferred to Bluefield from MidAmerica Nazarene.

“Faith is going to play at the net with her height and incredible hitting ability helping us out tremendously,” Coach John said.

Another newcomer is transfer Scarlett Hulse, a junior from Clovis, California.

“Scarlett is going to be another diverse player that is needed at the net on the right side,” Coach John said, “which is going to add depth to the team.”

Despite the optimism, Coach John did note that “the team is riddled with injuries at the minute.”

“I had to move some of the defensive players up to the net so we can have our front line guarded,” Coach John said. “When we get the injured players back, we are going to be that team in the conference that people are scared to play!”

Students are encouraged to come out and support the Lady Rams in their conference games, then follow the team’s away games online and get behind the Lady Rams.