AU volleyball prepares to face Tusculum in opening round of Southeast Regionals

By Rachel Carman | Sports writer

The Augusta University volleyball team will travel to Wingate, N.C., for the NCAA Division II Southeast Regionals this weekend.

The Jaguars’ hard work has paid off, and they secured the No. 2 spot behind No. 1 seed and regional championship host Wingate University. The Bulldogs beat AU in five sets (15-11 in the fifth) back on Sept. 2 in Daytona Beach, Fla.

 After a historic season of high honors and awards, the Jags are ready to close out on top. Most notable of the Jaguar’s achievements this season, Coach Sharon Quarles notched her 300th program win, was named PBC coach of the year, and led her team to claim both the regular-season title and conference tournament championship for the first time in program history. She was also named Southeast Region coach of the year.

Jazmyn Wheeler, outside hitter for AU, had a record-breaking season of her own. Wheeler was honored as PBC player of the week four times, secured her second straight PBC player of the year title and was named the AVCA Southeast Region player of the year this week.  Numbers-wise, Wheeler is second in the Peach Belt, averaging 3.97 kills per set, and the senior from Phoenix, Ariz., totaled 15 double-doubles throughout the season. She ranks nationally in three statistical categories, including attacks per set, kills per set and total attacks.

Following this record-breaking season, the Jaguars (27-4) will take on Tusculum University, No. 7 seed, in the first round of regionals on Friday, Dec. 1, at 2:30 P.M. Augusta, which has won 13 in a row and 27 of its last 27 matches, last played Tusculum during the PBC/SAC Crossover on Oct. 21, 2022. In the match, AU swept the Tusculum Pioneers in three sets.

 “It was a pretty good game where we were just able to take care of business and play our game,” Wheeler said. “We have the same expectations this year, if not more.”

The odds for the match are in the Jag’s favor, as they beat the Pioneers across the board in stats except for service aces. Augusta has exceptional depth of talent in all positions, and it shows.  

Senior libero Dariana Luna is ready to get on the court and have a good time with her squad. To Luna, Tusculum is just another obstacle in the way of winning the championship.

“I trust my team so much and our chemistry is incredible,” said the senior from Caracas, Venezuela. “I’ve never felt this confident with a team before. Nobody can stop us when we are having fun… Just another opportunity to play with my favorite people in the world.”

The stakes are high for the match, and the Jags are prepared.

“At the end of the day, our opponent is still in our way of getting a trophy, so whatever they throw at us, we will be ready as long as our side of the net is doing what we know how to do,” said Wheeler.  

Tusculum enters Friday’s match at 22-6. The Pioneers defeated Wingate in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament final 3-1. Emiah Burrowes leads the team with 346 kills, followed by Aly Freeland with 261. Casey Sosnowski is first in digs with 383. Setter Madison Adkins has 828 assists. Burrowes was chosen first team all-region, and Adkins was named honorable mention.

The winner of the Augusta-Tusculum match will move on to face the victor of the Lander-Emmanuel match in round two. On the other side of the championship bracket, No. 1 Wingate will take on No. 8 Lenoir-Rhyne at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and No. 4 Anderson will face No. 5 USC Aiken at 5 p.m.

Augusta and Lander have already played four times this season, with the Jaguars winning three of those matches.

AU enters the championship with high hopes and the stats to back it up.

“We are going into this prepared, confident, excited and ready to bring home a regional championship,” Wheeler said.

In addition to Wheeler making the AVCA all-region first team, Luna also was chosen on the first team. Middle hitter Madelyn Eden was named to the D2CCA second team, and setter Janvier Buggs were named honorable mention all-region by AVCA.

Luna is ranked 14th in the country in digs per set, and Eden is ranked sixth in blocks per set. Luna has 574 digs in 108 sets. Eden has 115 blocks in 87 sets. Buggs enters regional play with 873 assists and a team-high 47 service aces in 108 sets.

Contact Rachel Carman at racarman@augusta.edu.

Janitor Buggs (L) and Savannah Davis (5) block against Lander’s Christina Aguayo (7). At the top of the page, Jazmyn Wheeler (16) was named Southeast Region player of the year. (photos by Paula Toole, AU Athletics)

Madelyn Eden (15), who ranks sixth nationally in blocks per set, here attempts a block against Lander’s Annie Holesinger (12). Wheeler (left) and Buggs (21) watch for AU. The Jaguars will play Tusculum in the regional quarterfinal at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1, at Wingate, N.C. (photo by Paula Toole)