Red Raiders begin 2024 preseason

LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas Tech Volleyball team held its first practice of the 2024 season on Thursday as the team prepares for season number nine under head coach Tony Graystone.

The Red Raiders had a busy offseason, adding 11 new players – five transfers and six freshmen – and returning nine players from last year. The returners are led by junior Brynn Williams – who is the team’s leading returner in kills and points – along with Emily Merrick, Reagan Engler, Maddie Correa, Abby Dickinson, Katelyn Cochran, Emily Contreras, Simone Overbeck and Elena Leontaridou. From the portal, Graystone signed Mia Wesley and Reagan Leinen from Southern Miss., Aliyah McDonald (Oregon State), Jasmine Martin (Washington State) and Hanna Borer (Virginia Tech). The roster also includes freshmen Addie Kanouff, Ava Olsen, Alyssa Dinh, Katherine Jones, Macie Mathis and Lola Davila.

“For us, we look at the (transfer portal) as an opportunity,” said Graystone. “If you have a spot open then you have to fill it with the best player you can, and I think we did a really nice job of that. The quality of the roster, the depth of it, the physicality, I think we addressed the things that held us back last season and we feel really good about the roster we have.

Tech heads to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts in 22 days for its first matches of the season before coming back to Lubbock and hosting the Red Raider Classic the first weekend of September.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I felt like this is the most productive offseason I’ve ever had as a coach,” said Graystone. “In terms of how far the team came on the court, leadership and team building, I was really happy with how everything came into place.”

Release Provided By Jay Strader Texas Tech Athletics