Quakers volleyball ready for 2025 with balance of youth, experience
Aly Wiseman enters her third season as Head Coach of the Wilmington Quakers' volleyball team. Establishing her own culture, along with Assistant Coach Braya Elsea, has been at the forefront of turning the program around.
"It's been really cool to see how our upperclassmen have bought into the culture that Braya and I are teaching, and just the way that they've done that on and off the court, as well as buying into being good teammates and buying into knowing where the program's at and what we're trying to change," says Wiseman.
After winning nine games in her first season, the Quakers won six in 2024, leading to a preseason vote for an eighth-place finish in a difficult Ohio Athletic Conference. With 11 players returning and nine freshmen entering the program, Coach Wiseman has recruited two classes alone.
"They come in every day knowing what the expectations are, and they're not afraid of it," says Wiseman. "I think just learning through the process of what works for them and what doesn't has been our biggest learning curve of just making sure that we're doing things the right way for where the program's at and not trying to overcomplicate things."
Key Pieces Lost
Wilmington will be looking to replace six seniors, including the top setter
Andie Dolven, who started all 26 games for the Quakers and led the team in assists with 547 and service aces with 36. Dolven holds the program career record for assists with 2,434 career assists and service aces with 115 and was Academic All-OAC.
"Offensively, just putting the ball away on the first attack is going to be a big thing that we're going to try and focus on this year of being able to side out quickly and not get stuck in rotations and how to switch serve receivers," adds Wiseman.
Outside hitter Josie Crabtree will also need to be replaced. Crabtree was second on the team with 198 kills and Academic All-OAC.
Wiseman will also need to replace her defensive specialist and digs-leader
Corissa Oeder, who tallied 296 digs. Oeder was also second on the team in service aces with 24 and third for assists with 65, and Academic All-OAC.
"Blocking as well, just making sure that our middles are closing the block so that our defense can have an easier life for them," says Wiseman.
Seniors Trinity Vandusen and Kieran Yarkosky were both Academic All-OAC, and senior Taylor Smith was a key contributor all four years.
Key Pieces Returning
Wiseman points out six key players: senior setter Kyra Frasier, senior right-side hitter Sarah Brown, junior outside hitter Emelia Mohler, junior defensive specialist Logan McQuillin, sophomore middle hitter Brinlee Preston and sophomore defensive specialist/setter Emma Specht.
Last year, Brown led the team in kills with 202 and was second on the team with 41 total blocks, 30 block assists, and 11 block solos.
Mohler had 146 kills, third on the team, and four matches with 10 or more kills last season.
Defensively, McQuillin returns after appearing in all 26 matches for the Quakers in 2024, where she tied the team high with 92 sets played. McQuillin was second on the team with 262 digs, including 13 matches of 10 or more digs.
After starting 25 matches as a freshman, Preston returns as a key factor for the Quakers. The sophomore led the team with 45 total blocks, 33 block assists, and 12 block solos while accumulating 102 kills.
Specht is expected to be another vital returner for the Quakers. Last season, Specht appeared in 21 matches as a freshman and finished second on the team with 81 assists, including 10 or more in four matches.
First-Years to Watch
Adapting to the pace of collegiate play is always a challenge for incoming first-years, but Wiseman believes in their abilities.
"We saw it last year, too. We have some freshmen that contributed early. They're going to go out there and they're going to prove that they're here for a reason," says Wiseman.
Four of the nine freshmen have stood out so far to Wiseman. Mia Spence, a defensive specialist from Franklin, Tennessee, will help replace the loss of Oeder.
Magee Fain, a middle hitter from Henrietta, Texas, was selected to the All-District 1st Team once and All-District 2nd Team three times during her high school career.
Outside hitter Lydia Bridenbaugh from Brookville, Ohio, was the District 15 D2 Player of the Year and 2024 1st Team All-Conference.
Aubrey Clark, a middle hitter from Circleville, Ohio, will be another valuable first-year player.
(Editor’s note: The team also includes 2025 Fairfield graduate Jobey Hattan.)
Even with a younger team roster of 14 underclassmen and only 6 upperclassmen, Wiseman has been impressed early on.
"Them handling the chaos of the first four days of dealing with practicing twice a day, going to orientation, just being able to balance that was huge," says Wiseman. "Then just taking that head on and the competition in the gym has been really cool to see their talent level add to that."
Schedule Notes
The 2025 Quaker Classic starts on Friday, Sept. 5. Wilmington will host their first home match of the season against Franklin College at 4 p.m. on that Friday.
Saturday, Sept 13, the Quakers play away at the University of Mount Union in their OAC opener.
The 2025 Franklin Invitation begins Friday, Sept. 19, at 6 p.m. against Franklin College. The Quakers will play a total of four games that weekend.
The Quakers' final OAC regular-season match is away against Marietta College on Friday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m.
Wilmington's Senior Night and final regular-season match is on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 6:30 p.m. against The College of Wooster.