Match Preview
No. 8 The Citadel Bulldogs will face No. 9 Western Carolina Catamounts in the first round of the 2025 Southern Conference Volleyball Championships on Nov. 20, with the first serve at 4 pm. The match will be played at Harrah's Cherokee Center in Asheville, N.C.
 
About the Bulldogs
The Bulldogs were led by Rachel Reininger, who finished the regular season with a team-high 202 kills, averaging 3.21 per set. Reininger also topped the Bulldogs with 14 service aces. Gwen Berry was second on the team with 136 kills, averaging 2.13 per set.
 
Luci Lippelgoos recorded a total of 67.0 blocks this season, including 24 solo blocks and 43 block assists. Her 24 solo blocks are the most since 2021, when Gina DeLancey also had 24, tying DeLancey for the 12th most in a single season.
 
Jess Martin ended the season with 255 digs, averaging 3.36 per set, the top mark at The Citadel.
 
Scouting No. 8 Western Carolina
The Catamounts finished the regular season with a 7-20 record and a 3-13 Southern Conference record. Western Carolina recorded two losses to finish the season against Furman and Mercer. Tatum Sharp, a 6-2 middle blocker, led the Catamounts in kills with 234. Defensively, Courtney Graham led the team with 111.0 total blocks with 25 block solos and 86 block assists.
 
Series History
Western Carolina leads the all-time series against The Citadel, 39-12, with two wins over the Bulldogs during the regular season. It's the first time since 2018 that The Citadel and Western Carolina have faced each other in the tournament, with the Bulldogs winning 3-1 over the Catamounts.
 
2025 Southern Conference Championships
ETSU secured the Southern Conference regular season title with a 21-6 overall record and a 15-1 conference record. The Buccaneers enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed, followed by No. 2 Furman, No. 3 Wofford, No. 4 Chattanooga, No. 5 UNCG, No. 6 Samford, and No. 7 Mercer.