Date: 9/2
Position: Middle Blockers

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats):  Hannah Johnson (88 kills, .278 hitting percentage, 11 solo blocks, 57 block-assists, 68 total blocks);  Morgan Stalcup (missed 2019 season due to injury)

Letterwinners Lost (Key stats):  Kelley Hartman (355 kills, 3.06 kps, .369 hitting percentage, 17 service aces, 31 solo blocks, 65 block-assists, 96 total blocks, 0.83 bps)

Newcomers (Yr., Previous School):  Carly Doros (Fr., Flat Rock Community [Mich.] HS);  Rebecca Walk (Fr., Our Lady Academy [Miss.])

Miscellaneous Notes
- Kelley Hartman earned First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors last season, which marked the third straight year she received all-conference recognition.
- Hartman led the Sun Belt in hitting percentage (.369) in 2019, and ranked eighth in kills per set (3.06).
- In conference matches, Hartman ranked fifth in hitting percentage (.341) and eighth in kills per set (3.13).
- Hannah Johnson returns for her senior season at middle blocker after appearing in 103 sets in 2019.
- Johnson ranked second on the squad in blocks per set (0.66) last year, and finished with 68 total blocks.  
- Hartman ranks second in career hitting percentage (.309) at USA, third in total blocks (381) and block-assists (288), sixth in solo blocks (93) and seventh in kills (1,058).
- Carly Doros was named 2019 Division 2 Third-Team All-State at middle blocker by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association, and also earned Region 19 Division 2 All-Region honors by the MIVCA in 2018 and '19.
- Rebecca Walk was a 2019 Prep Volleyball All-America selection and 2019 Clarion Ledger First-Team All-State pick. Walk helped Our Lady Academy in Bay St. Louis, Miss., capture five of its eight consecutive class 1A state championships in her career.

Head Coach Alexis Meeks-Rydell
- On the challenges for the newcomers adjusting to Division I volleyball:
"I think with any athlete that is in their first year of collegiate athletics, there is going to be an adjustment period. They have to adjust to the speed of the game, learning new techniques and skills and just overall the general adjustments to a collegiate schedule. Yes, we are super young in this position but they have a phenomenal upperclassman to lead them through these adjustments. It is going to take time and experience for them to reach the level we want them to be at but that is completely normal and we have been blessed with newcomers who are eager and determined to learn quickly."

- On replacing All-Sun Belt performer Kelley Hartman:
"You can't replace a kid like Kelley Hartman, you just can't. There was a level of charisma and competitiveness about her that was unique to her and what she brought to this team. We don't really use the term replace in this program because of that very reason. No two kids or athletes are alike and they each have their own strengths and weaknesses that make their role and impact on our team different. We will miss Kelley tremendously but this is an opportunity for some of our other kids to shine a little brighter and have to work harder to fill the gaps that we will miss without having Kelley around."

- On the strengths of the middle blockers:
"The strengths of this position this year is the depth that we have in terms of what they are capable of offensively as a group. Kelley carried a large part of our offensive load last year which caused Hannah Johnson to focus on other areas of her game but now we have three middles who carry different strengths in offense and that allows us to expand our offense this year. Carly and Becca are going to make a huge impact in this program as freshmen specifically because of the experience they carry from coming from great high school and club programs as well as what they are both capable of athletically. They are also two of the easiest freshmen I have ever had the pleasure of coaching because of how determined they are to get better and make an impact."

- On senior Hannah Johnson:
"Hannah Johnson has a huge role this year and she knows that and has embraced that. The best part about Hannah Johnson is how aware she is of herself and her teammates. She knows that Kelley is gone but that hasn't changed who she is as a person or player for us. She knows what she needs to do offensively and defensively for our team but more importantly she knows how to bring the best out of other people which is most of the time the more important of the two. We have to have her on the court to be successful and we can't wait to see what she can accomplish this year with where she is at mentally."

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