COUGAR VOLLEYBALL - REPORTING FOR DUTY
The Cougar volleyball team is back on campus and ready to get to work. With their head coach
Peyton McDaniel deployed overseas with the U.S. Air Force, this squad knows what it means to
play for something bigger than themselves. Acting head coach, Nolan McDaniel, will start the
fall leading the team until Peyton returns home.
The Cougars return six sophomores who gained valuable experience last season and are
hungry to build on that foundation. Two of those returners, Izzy Messer and Zowee Dillard,
earned all-conference honors, giving the team proven talent and leadership heading into the
new season. "Having our two all-conference players back is huge for us, especially because we
asked both players to fill new roles last season, so they are not strangers to facing change and
adversity," said Coach Peyton. "They know the level of hard work it takes to compete in this
conference and they are using that to fuel them through preseason."
The returning core gets reinforced by three transfers who bring experience and fill key roster
needs. Add in five incoming freshmen who have all shown up ready to work and the Cougars
have the depth and talent to compete with anyone.
The unique situation has brought the team together in a special way. The veteran players have
embraced leadership roles, while the newcomers have bought into the program's culture quickly.
"We're excited to use the foundations Peyton built last year to take a big jump this year. We find
a lot of strength, resilience, and passion in her leadership and example. She's proof to our girls
that doing hard things is in their team DNA, and it has really brought them together in a unique,
inspiring way," Coach Nolan McDaniel said. That chemistry could be their biggest weapon this
season.
The numbers tell a promising story: 14 players with a good mix of experience and fresh talent.
The transfers add immediate impact potential, while the freshman class brings athleticism and
upside for both this season and beyond. This group has something to prove and the motivation
to back it up.
The Cougars open their season on the road at Georgia Highlands on August 22nd with a
tri-match, jumping right into competition on the road. Catch them at home during a 4 game
home stretch the first week of September. Go Cougars!
