Coming off of last weekend’s tournament in Baton Rouge where Maryland volleyball went 1-2, the Terps head back to College Park to host the Maryland tournament.
The three-game stand begins on Friday at 7 p.m. against Alabama A&M. The team then heads to Washington D.C. on Saturday to face American at 5 p.m. The Terps close the tournament at home on Sunday, when they will face North Texas at 1 p.m.
Alabama A&M Bulldogs (2-2, 0-0 Southwestern Atlantic)
2023 record: 12-19 (11-5 Southwestern Atlantic)
After being promoted from assistant coach in the offseason, head coach Brandon Reeves hopes to lead the Bulldogs to their first winning season since 2019. While they won their opening two matches of the Betty Austin Invitational over Idaho and Oral Roberts with ease, Alabama A&M got swept in the finale against Chattanooga. Earlier this week, the Bulldogs were dominated by North Alabama, losing in straight sets.
Players to watch
Fatima Ramirez, senior outside hitter, No. 12 — At Edward Waters University last season, Ramirez won SIAC Player of the Year and was a member of the D2CCA All-South region first-team. Ramirez transferred to Alabama A&M in the offseason and has picked up where she left off. She leads the team with 44 kills and is second in digs with 34 through the first four matches.
Grace Tapscott, junior setter, No. 34 — As the lone player to start every match last season, Tapscott is the Bulldogs’ top returner. Although she split playing time with setter Mackenzie Jefferson, Tapscott still gathered the most assists on the team with 412. With Jefferson leaving for East Carolina, Tapscott is now the clear-cut starting setter. She leads the team with 64 assists — almost tripling the next closest player — and eight service aces this season.
American Eagles (5-0, 0-0 Patriot League)
2023 record: 20-11 (11-5 Patriot League)
Head coach Ahen Kim enters his second season in charge looking to take the Eagles back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. In his first year, American was one match away from that feat, falling in the Patriot League championship game. The 2024 campaign has been no different for the Eagles as they remain undefeated, dropping just two sets.
Players to watch
Esma Sipahi, senior setter, No. 17 — Sipahi is the reigning Patriot League Setter of the Year and was a member of the All-Patriot League first-team. The 6-footer from Istanbul has been one of the nation’s best setters thus far. After collecting 1,189 assists last season, Sipahi has only improved. Her 169 assists through five matches are the second-best mark in the country. Sipahi also ranks second on the team with five service aces.
Zedo Yilmaz, freshman outside hitter, No. 18 — In her first year at American, Yilmaz has made an immediate impact. The Patriot League Volleyball Rookie of the Week leads the Eagles in kills with 65, tied for fifth in the country. She also has a team-high 52 digs. Yilmaz will look to build on her already impressive freshman campaign.
North Texas Mean Green (1-3, 0-0 American Athletic)
2023 record: 17-16, (11-8 American Athletic)
Now in her third year at the helm, head coach Kristee Porter hopes to build off last season’s success. The Mean Green earned an NIVC (National Invitational Volleyball Championship) berth before falling to eventual runners-up UTEP in the first round. Last weekend, North Texas lost matches to Colorado, Rutgers and Miami in the UNT tournament before bouncing back Wednesday with a win over Texas Southern.
Players to watch
Aryn Johnson, senior outside hitter, No. 23 — In likely her final season with the Mean Green, Johnson has gotten off to a hot start. She has a team-high five service aces and is tied for first on the team with 39 digs. After tallying the second most kills on the team last year with 294, Johnson remains a top option out wide.
Truli Levy, senior middle blocker, No. 16 — As one of two players to start in every game last season, Levy has once again been the best defenders for the Mean Green. Her team-high 133 total blocks a year ago were the seventh-best single-season mark in program history. With 21 blocks through the first four games — the 11th best mark in the country — Levy looks to continue her dominance.
Three things to watch
1. Can the Terps bounce back? A straight-sets victory to open the season was negated by two consecutive losses. Maryland hasn’t fallen in back-to-back nonconference matches since 2019. A quick start will be necessary to get back in the win column.
2. Eva Rohrbach’s net domination. After a strong freshman campaign that saw her lead the team with 126 total blocks, Rohrbach has taken a big step forward. Through three games this season, her 24 blocks are tied for the fifth-best mark in the country.
3. Familiar foe. Maryland volleyball heads into the tournament with a 16-0 record against American. The last time the programs met was in 2012, when the Terps swept American. If Maryland hopes to continue its unbeaten record against the Eagles, it will have to hand American its first loss of the season.
