SAN ANTONIO — No. 5 Trinity Volleyball (8-2) opens Southern Athletic Association play this weekend at
Julie Jenkins Court. The Tigers host the first SAA pod of the season against No. 9 Berry, No. 14 Centre and Oglethorpe on Friday and Saturday.
Trinity was picked to win the SAA in the preseason coaches' poll, edging Berry by a single point, and this weekend gives an early look at how that race is shaping up. The Tigers come in after a second-place finish at their own Trinity Fall Classic, and they swept both SAA Athlete of the Week awards for Week 3. Sophomore
Lily Long (Glenview, Ill. / New Trier) won Offensive honors for the second straight week and leads the team with 141 kills. Junior
Annabelle Lanik (Sugar Land, Texas / St. John's) was named Defensive Athlete of the Week and leads Trinity with 109 digs. Senior setter
Kendall DeRivel (Westlake Village, Calif. / Viewpoint) enters the weekend one dig away from 600 for her career.
AVCA Poll
Trinity is No. 5 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III poll. Wisconsin-Oshkosh (11-1) holds the top spot with, and Colby (6-0) is No. 2. Two of this weekend's opponents are ranked: Berry held steady at No. 9, and Centre climbed six spots to No. 14 after their fine weekend performance.
This Weekend
The Tigers open against Berry on Friday, Sept. 25, at 5:30 p.m. CT. They then play a Saturday doubleheader against Centre (10:30 a.m. CT) and Oglethorpe (3:00 p.m. CT). Every match streams live on the Tiger Network, with live stats available. Southwestern also plays in the pod, facing Centre and Oglethorpe on Friday and Berry on Saturday.
On Berry:
The Vikings are 7-2 (1-0 SAA) and have won three straight, including a sweep of their home Berry Invitational that featured a four-set win over then-No. 14 Emory. Berry also opened the season with a five-set win over then-No. 13 Tufts, the same team that swept Trinity in Medford. Senior right side Madie Whitehead, a 2025 AVCA First Team All-American, leads the team with 116 kills and was named AVCA Division III National Player of the Week on Sept. 8. Sophomore setter Ava Brovet, the 2025 AVCA Division III National Freshman of the Year and a Third Team All-American, runs the offense at 9.62 assists per set. Trinity leads the all-time series 7-1, but the lone loss is the most recent meeting: a 3-0 Berry sweep in the 2025 SAA Championship final that gave the Vikings their fifth straight conference title.
On Centre:
The Colonels are 9-0 (1-0 SAA). It is the best start in program history, and their No. 14 ranking is the highest in program history. Centre entered the poll after a 3-1 win over then-No. 3 Illinois Wesleyan and opened conference play by sweeping Sewanee. Senior outside/opposite Syd Bietz, a 2025 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, leads the team with 103 kills. Sophomore outside/opposite Kendra Christopher is right behind her with 96. Trinity leads the all-time series 40-2 and has won the last four meetings, including all three in 2025, however this is promising to be a more competitive fixture.
On Oglethorpe:
The Stormy Petrels are 4-7 (0-1 SAA) in their first season under head coach Mara Suarez. It is a young roster with eight freshmen and no seniors. Oglethorpe opened with wins over Piedmont and Huntingdon but comes to San Antonio on a four-match losing streak, including a 3-0 loss at Berry in its SAA opener. Freshman outside hitter Jane Pennington leads the team with 81 kills. Sophomore middle blocker Madison Thompson is its most efficient attacker, hitting .367 with a team-high 18 blocks. Trinity is 37-0 all-time against Oglethorpe and will be expecting to extend their record this weekend.
Up Next
Trinity goes on the road to Jackson, Miss., on Friday, Oct. 2. At the Hangar Dome, the Tigers face Rhodes at 12:00 p.m. CT and then play host Millsaps at 6:30 p.m. CT.
