CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel volleyball team begins the 2025 season at the Buccaneer Invitational with a doubleheader against IU Indy at 10 am and Loyola Maryland at 4 pm on Aug. 29. The Bulldogs will face Charleston Southern on Aug. 30 at 3 pm.
 
About The Bulldogs
In the 2024 season, the Bulldogs finished with a 15-14 overall record and an 8-8 conference record. The Citadel participated in three tournaments before entering conference play in Alabama, Nebraska, and Troy.
 
Zelenock and the Bulldogs faced the national runners-up, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, in front of a sold-out crowd of 8,607 in Lincoln, Nebraska, marking the highest home/away attendance the Bulldogs have ever played in.
 
The Citadel finished the season as the NCAA Statistical Champion for digs per set with 19.44.
 
Scouting Report: IU Indy
The Jaguars went 15-17 overall and 9-9 in the Horizon League in the 2024 season. The Jaguars lost in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament to Cleveland State.
 
The Jaguars are led by 6-0 junior outside hitter Elle Patterson, who totaled 389 kills, averaging 3.16 per set, and 6-1 middle blocker Morgan Ostrowski, who was second on the team with 285 kills. She also led the team in solo blocks (19) and total blocks (82.0).
 
Scouting Report: Loyola Maryland
The Greyhounds went 10-16 overall and 8-8 in the Patriot League last season. Loyola Maryland lost in the first round of the Patriot League Championships to Army.
 
The Greyhounds will be led this season by Kacy Sekunda, a 5-10 setter and opposite hitter who was second on the team with 244 kills and tied for first with 428 assists, along with Riley Hamilton, a 5-10 outside hitter who contributed 116 kills last season.
 
Scouting Report: Charleston Southern
The Bucs ended last season with a 7-20 overall record and a 4-10 record in the Big South. This season, the Buccaneers added seven new players to the team.
 
Charleston Southern is led by Skylar Yates, a 5-7 outside hitter. Yates led the Bucs in kills with 310, averaging 3.16 per set.
 
Former Buc, now Bulldog, Savannah Freeman will return to face Charleston Southern.
 
Bulldogs Selected Seventh in SoCon Preseason Poll
The Bulldogs were ranked seventh in the preseason poll, as voted by the league's nine head coaches.
 
New Team
The Citadel will debut a completely new lineup this season after losing six starters: Ali Ruffin, Belle Hogan, Mackenzie Martin, Sophie Childs, Sadie Gomez, and Jaelynn Elgert.
 
Bulldogs Welcome Eight Newcomers
The Bulldogs introduce eight newcomers to the team this year: Savannah Freeman, a graduate student from Charleston Southern. Alexa Psotka, a graduate student from College of Charleston, played four years on the beach volleyball team: Sammie Sabra, a graduate student from Akron, and Luci Lippelgoos from Austin Peay. Luci joins the Bulldogs as a sophomore who is joining the Corps of Cadets.
 
Four freshmen include KK Domek, Gwen Berry, Jordyn Sims, and AC Elder.
 
Ruffin '25 Nominated as NCAA Woman of the Year.
Ali Ruffin '25 was selected as one of the two 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year Nominees for the Southern Conference, highlighting her outstanding career as a Bulldog on both the court and the field. Ruffin was a standout two-sport cadet-athlete in volleyball and track & field at The Citadel.
 
AVCA Team Academic Award
The Citadel volleyball team received the 2025 AVCA Team Academic Award with a team GPA of 3.66 for the year.