A look at the Tennessee volleyball roster: Who will – and won't – be back this season

Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel
·4 min read

Tennessee volleyball returns a strong core from the 2021 team that finished fourth in the SEC and made it to the NCAA second round.

In Lady Vols coach Eve Rackham Watt's fifth season, UT was picked to finish third in the conference by SEC coaches, receiving one first place vote. Three Lady Vols were selected for the All-SEC preseason team, the most preseason honors for the program and the second-most selections behind Kentucky, which is the favorite to win the league.

Morgahn Fingall, Natalie Hayward and Danielle Mahaffey all made the preseason team. All three are returning seniors – Hayward and Mahaffey are fifth-years taking advantage of their extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of COVID-19.

Tennessee's roster saw some turnover outside of graduating seniors in the offseason. Here's what you need to know about the 2022 roster.

Biggest losses

Lily Felts

The most significant loss to the portal for Tennessee was All-SEC outside hitter Lily Felts. The three-time All-SEC outside hitter transferred to Florida Gulf Coast for her COVID-granted fifth season. Felts was third on the team in kills (285), points (339) and assists (54) in 2021. She also became the 22nd player in program history to reach 1,000 career kills.

Tennessee outside hitter Lily Felts (15) with the hit as Kentucky middle blocker Azhani Tealer (15) defends in an NCAA volleyball match between the Tennessee Lady Vols and Kentucky Wildcats in Knoxville, Tenn. on Wednesday, October 27, 2021.
Tennessee outside hitter Lily Felts (15) with the hit as Kentucky middle blocker Azhani Tealer (15) defends in an NCAA volleyball match between the Tennessee Lady Vols and Kentucky Wildcats in Knoxville, Tenn. on Wednesday, October 27, 2021.

Madison Bryant

Bryant was Tennessee's top libero of the 2021 season, playing in all 30 matches and 108 sets. The junior defensive specialist led Tennessee in digs with 370 and was second in assists behind Hayward with 131. Bryant, a rising senior with two years of eligibility left, was announced in June as a new member for Duke.

HOW 2021 ENDED: Tennessee volleyball falls in second round of NCAA Tournament to Ohio State

A COACH'S QUICK SUCCESS: How Eve Rackham Watt changed Tennessee volleyball and found success from the jump

Key returners

Ava Bell

Bell was a crucial piece of Tennessee's net defense last season. The middle blocker ranked second with a career-high 118 blocks and averaged 1.24 blocks per set. Bell hit .397 on her way to 151 kills in 2021. She earned both SEC Offensive Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors last season.

Tennessee right side hitter Morgahn Fingall (7) and middle blocker Danielle Mahaffey (21) block a hit by Kentucky outside hitter Alli Stumler (17) in an NCAA volleyball match between the Tennessee Lady Vols and Kentucky Wildcats in Knoxville, Tenn. on Wednesday, October 27, 2021.
Tennessee right side hitter Morgahn Fingall (7) and middle blocker Danielle Mahaffey (21) block a hit by Kentucky outside hitter Alli Stumler (17) in an NCAA volleyball match between the Tennessee Lady Vols and Kentucky Wildcats in Knoxville, Tenn. on Wednesday, October 27, 2021.

Danielle Mahaffey

Mahaffey is coming off of one of the best defensive seasons in the country in 2021. The middle blocker had a career-best and team-high 139 blocks and averaged 1.38 blocks per set, which ranked second in the SEC and eighth in the nation last season. The senior middle blocker hit a career high .380 and was fourth on the team with 183 kills.

Natalie Hayward

Tennessee's All-SEC setter might be the most significant returner. Hayward tallied 1,162 assists and averaged 10.66 assists per set in 2021, which was a career-high and ranked fourth in the SEC and 31st nationally. She also had career-bests in kills (105), hitting percentage (.394), digs (296) and blocks (81).

Tennessee's Morgahn Fingall (7) hits the ball during a volleyball match between the Tennessee Lady Vols and Auburn held at Thompson-Boling Arena on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021.
Tennessee's Morgahn Fingall (7) hits the ball during a volleyball match between the Tennessee Lady Vols and Auburn held at Thompson-Boling Arena on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021.

Morgahn Fingall

Fingall is a senior right side hitter who was arguably Tennessee's best offensive player last season. She ranked second with 338 kills, averaged 3.22 kills per set and hit at .250. Fingall is also a key blocker, ranking third on the team with 100 blocks and 94 block assists.

Significant additions

Kadynce Boothe

Boothe is a freshman outside hitter from Kernersville, North Carolina. She holds the East Forsyth High School single-season records for kills (588), digs (273), kill percentage (47.7) and kills per set (6.39). Boothe earned 2021 AVCA High School Third-Team All-America honors. Based on the personnel returning and transfers added, Boothe has the best shot at getting playing time of the three incoming freshmen.

Oregon's Kylie Robinson sets the ball for the Ducks during their match against Portland State at the Oregon Invitational.
Oregon's Kylie Robinson sets the ball for the Ducks during their match against Portland State at the Oregon Invitational.

Kylie Robinson

Robinson, a redshirt senior setter and transfer from Oregon. She averaged 4.78 assists per set and 2.05 digs per set in 2021. Robinson finished her Oregon career with 1,705 assists for a 6.18 assists per set average.

Erykah Lovett

Lovett is a sophomore outside hitter and transfer from Long Beach State. As a freshman, Lovett played all 31 matches and was second on the team in kills with 294. She led the team in service aces with 42 and posted a conference-leading average of 0.39 aces per set.

Cora Hall: Covering UT women's athletics
Twitter | cora.hall@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee volleyball roster: Who will and won't be back for 2022