ELON – The Elon University volleyball team begins a seven-match road trip this Tuesday, traveling to intrastate foe Appalachian State for an early-week contest. First serve between the Phoenix (0-2) and the Mountaineers (3-0) is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Holmes Convocation Center in Boone.
 
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SERIES HISTORY

• Former longtime conference opponents, Elon and Appalachian State have met 30 times total in their series histories. The Mountaineers lead the all-time series with a 21-9 ledger.
• The two teams last faced each other in 2013 at Elon. Appalachian State swept the Phoenix in straight sets in the programs' last meeting as Southern Conference foes.
• Elon's last win in the series came in 2012 as the Maroon and Gold swept its in-state rival in straight sets.
• Both teams last played in Boone in 2012 with Appalachian State taking a 3-1 victory. Elon's last win at Appalachian State came in 2008 in a five-set decision.

 
LAST TIME OUT

• Elon opened its 2025 campaign last weekend on its home floor, hosting Coppin State and Bethune-Cookman at Schar Center for the Aggie/Phoenix Invitational. The Phoenix dropped both matches, falling 3-1 to Coppin State and 3-2 to Bethune-Cookman.
• Offensively, Clara Simmons led the Phoenix with 27 kills while averaging 3.86 kills per set. The senior outside hitter tied a career-high with 15 kills against Coppin State.
• Graduate transfer outside hitter Simrin Carlsen was second on the team with 23 kills (2.56 kills/set). The Edison, N.J., native notched double-doubles in both games for the Phoenix including a career-best 28 against Bethune-Cookman.
• Junior outside hitter Cameron Lanier joined Simmons and Carlsen with 20-plus kills from the opening weekend. Middle blocker Kyla Johnson led the Maroon and Gold with a .385 attack percentage and eight total blocks.
• Freshman setter April Rice tallied 77 assists (8.56 assists/set) while adding 11 digs and five kills. Her 48 assists against Bethune-Cookman ranked third-most in the CAA last weekend. The Lemont, Ill., native is currently third in the league in assists per set.
• Junior Shannon O'Laughlin set a new career-high with 23 digs against Bethune-Cookman from her libero position while sophomore defensive specialist Casey Brower also added 21 digs versus the Wildcats. Overall, Elon was tough defensively against Bethune-Cookman, recording 103 digs while holding the Wildcats to a .070 attack percentage.

 
SCOUTING APPALACHIAN STATE

• The Mountaineers are off to a 3-0 start in 2025 after going undefeated at the CofC Classic last weekend. Appalachian State defeated the field of Mercer, Eastern Kentucky and host College of Charleston.
• Three Mountaineers were named to the CofC Classic All-Tournament Team with senior middle blocker Maya Winterhoff being named the Tournament MVP. MeMe Davis and Lou Johnson also joined Winterhoff on the All-Tournament Team.
• Appalachian State has recorded 153 kills on the season on a .249 attack percentage. Winterhoff has a team-high 37 kills, averaging 2.85 kills per set with a .456 attack percentage. The Charlottesville, Va., native also has 12 blocks on the defensive end.
• Five other players have recorded double-digit kills for the Mountaineers with Ali Morris ranking second on the team with 30 kills. Addison Heidemann paces the squad with 109 assists (8.38 assists/set).
• Chad Sutton is in his first season as Appalachian State's head coach. Prior to joining the Mountaineers, Sutton spent two seasons as the head coach at Mercer, posting a record of 42-19.

 
ELON AT A GLANCE

• The Phoenix is set for its 54^th season of volleyball and the 27^th campaign at the Division I level in 2025.
• Elon retained 10 letterwinners from this past season, including three starters. The Phoenix welcomes five newcomers to the fold in 2025 with four first-year athletes and one transfer.
• Among the top returners for the Phoenix include junior outside hitter Cameron Lanier. The Chapel Hill native is Elon's returning leader in in total kills (245) and kills per set (2.72) with a .236 attack percentage.
• Lanier earned 2025 Preseason All-CAA laurels with teammates Caroline Berlekamp and Catherine Rucker also getting preseason league recognition. Berlekamp, a junior middle blocker, recorded 128 kills last season while leading the team with 19 solo blocks and 101 total blocks.
• Rucker was one of two Phoenix athletes to earn All-CAA postseason honors with her All-Rookie Team selection. The Chapel Hill native and middle blocker registered 88 kills and posted a .330 attack percentage.
• Sophomore setter Kayla Palmer is Elon's returning leader in assists with 251, averaging 3.80 assists per set. The Ithaca, N.Y., native had 13 double-digit assist efforts during her rookie campaign, including four matches with 20 or more. She also recorded three double-doubles.
• Elon returns 61% of its kills, 25% of its assists, 35% of its digs and 62% of its points scored from 2024.

 
WELCOME COACH TROY

• Elon head coach Matt Troy begins his first season at the helm of the Phoenix volleyball program in 2025. Troy, a national championship coach, comes to the maroon and gold after spending the last six years leading the Johns Hopkins volleyball program, compiling a record of 151-17 during that span.
• Troy led Johns Hopkins to the 2019 NCAA Division III National Championship and has advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals or further in each of the past three seasons, including a final four appearance in 2024.
• Over 14 seasons at the NCAA Division III level (excluding the 2020 COVID-19 season in which Johns Hopkins did not compete), Troy has built a career record of 357-96 (.788), which includes conference records of 118-15 (.887).
• From 2019-21, his teams at Johns Hopkins recorded a then-DIII record 66-match winning streak.
• Overall, Troy ranks among the top 10 winningest coaches by win percentage in NCAA Division III history, as well as ranking in the top 10 among active winningest coaches by win percentage at that level.

 
ALL-AMERICAN NEW FACE

• Among the new faces for the Phoenix this season includes graduate student transfer Simrin Carlsen, an outside hitter from Edison, N.J. Carlsen arrives to the Phoenix after competing at Johns Hopkins from 2021-24, recording over 1,000 career kills under former Blue Jay and now current Elon coach Matt Troy.
• Carlsen posted a decorated career at Johns Hopkins, as she was a two-time AVCA All-American, earning First Team laurels in 2023 and Second Team accolades in 2024. She was also a two-time AVCA First Team All-Region V (2023, 2024).
• She was named Baltimore Regional Most Outstanding Player in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and earned Centennial Conference Player of the Year that same season.

 
HOME SWEET HOME

• The Phoenix enters its eighth season playing at its home facility, Schar Center, Elon's home for Elon's men's basketball, women's basketball and volleyball programs with a capacity of 5,100.
• Elon will host 11 matches this season at Schar Center. Admission is free for all fans.

 
UP NEXT

• The Phoenix continues its road trip, heading to the Wildcat Classic at Davidson College on Sept. 5-6. Elon opens the three-match tournament versus host Davidson on Friday at 7 p.m.

 
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