It’s rebuilding year, a brand new team
2025 High School Volleyball preview
Farragut High School’s volleyball team finished fourth in the state last year behind six seniors, five of whom
started. The sixth contributed regularly.
Third-year coach Andre Alves knows filling those shoes won’t be easy.
“It’s a rebuilding year, it’s a brand new team,” said Alves. “A lot of people are gonna take us for granted, a lot of people are gonna think we’re not gonna be very good this year. I think they’re gonna be surprised how tough we are.”
The Lady Admirals’ undisputed leader will be senior setter Bella Ekeler. “I think she’s the best setter in the state,” Alves said. “That toughness, chip on her shoulder, feisty attitude. I think that’s our identity.”
“It’s definitely a rebuilding year,” Ekeler said. “We have a lot of young girls, but I feel very confident in our team.”
Sophomore Hailey Aiken will play the position of libero - a defensive specialist - for Alves this season. Aiken has played club ball, but has little experience on the high-school court. “She’s very fast,” said Alves.
Suffice it to say there is likely to be a consistent fluidity to where Alves positions his hitters this year.
Going into the season, four outside hitters - freshman Megan Frana, sophomore Hope Blackliston, and juniors Taylor Thompson and Reese Goodson - are vying for playing time.
Frana and Blackliston are likely to start, but Thompson and Goodson are should see the court as well. The latter two could also play as right-side hitters, Alves said.
“I’m looking for consistency and aggression, who can kill the ball,” Alves said of his outside hitters.
Junior Katharine Cabniss and freshman Olivia Cope are likely to start for Alves as middle hitters. Junior Ella Young should see time in the middle as well.
“They’re battling,” Alves said of the group. “They are starting to become very good defensively, still working on being aggressive and getting kills.”
Junior Madelyn Kupferer will man one of Alves’s positions as a right-side hitter. Goodson, Thompson, and Cope could all see playing time on the right as well.
“You can see it’s very fluid right now,” said Alves. “Goodson and Cope are the two tallest, so it depends on how offensive or defensive I wanna be.”
Along with Ekeler, Alves has two other seniors on his squad: Addison Owen, who will play on the outside, and Teagan Williams, who will substitute in for Kupferer on the right.
Alves was asked what part of the team’s play he was most confident about. “Serving and passing,” he said. “Good ball control, that’s what we’re striving for. If we have good ball control we can build on the offense.”
FHS’s team last year had multiple players who could kill the ball at the net. Alves is concerned this year’s squad won’t be able to match that offensive firepower.
“We need to be more ‘terminal,’” he said. “We need to get a lot more kills instead of just getting the ball over to the other side.”
Alves knows matching last year’s success will be a challenge, but likes his girls’ readiness for it.
“Great attitude, very coachable, very eager to continue to build the program and the legacy we have here,” he said. “They know they have some big shoes to fill. I’m.excited for the season.”
Ekeler knows much is riding on her leadership as well as her play, but welcomes the challenge.
“I don’t feel any pressure,” she said, “I’m just excited to get out there and start playing. I’m excited to see what this team is capable of.”
