Box Score (PDF)
FOLEY, Ala. – Sophie Davis charted 15 kills on .419 hitting with five blocks to lead James Madison to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship in its first year in the league. The Dukes, who also claimed the SBC regular-season title defeated Texas State 3-1 (25-19, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21) in the championship match on Sunday at the Foley Events Center.
James Madison (24-4) earns the Sun Belt’s automatic bid to the NCAA Volleyball Championship. The 2022 NCAA Volleyball Selection Show will take place Sunday, November 27 at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
“What a magical year,” James Madison head coach Lauren Steinbrecher said. “I’m obsessed with our team. I just think they’re so good and fought through so much adversity. It just shows how deep we are. So many people played this weekend and even the ones who didn’t are exceptional players. It’s been a fun season.”
Davis, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer, averaged a tournament-leading 5.17 points per set while in Foley with 3.75 kills per set on .471 hitting with 1.67 blocks per set. Her teammate, Caroline Dozier, the team’s starting setter who was injured early in the first set in Saturday’s semifinal and missed the remainder of the match, also earned All-Tournament Team accolades. In her return on Sunday, Dozier dished out 42 assists, came up with six digs and was part of two blocks.
“Sophie – where do I start?” Steinbrecher said. “First of all, she’s just so good at volleyball. In my heart, she’s our player of the year. I just think she’s incredible on the offensive and the defensive sides. Especially last night, just willing her team to win. Without Caroline, she just had a huge performance last night and again today.”
Miëtte Veldman turned in a match-high 18 kills, 16 digs and two block solos to power the offensive attack. Bre Reid added 16 kills on .311 hitting with a pair of blocks. Libero Jaydyn Clemmer posted 16 digs and two service aces.
James Madison out-blocked Texas State, 10.0-4.0. As a team, the Dukes hit .314 for the match, while the Bobcats hit .273. Texas State held the edge in digs, 74-62.
Texas State (24-7), led by its impressive class of talented fifth-year seniors, placed three players in double-figure kills. Janell Fitzgerald totaled a team-best 15 kills to complement eight digs. Jada Gardner recorded 12 kills, while Caitlan Buettner notched 11 kills on .550 hitting with 11 digs.
Emily DeWalt, the two-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and five-time Sun Belt Setter of the Year, finished with a match-high 48 assists and a match-high 18 digs. DeWalt is the Sun Belt Conference’s all-time career leader in assists.
2022 Sun Belt Volleyball All-Tournament Team
Hannah Maddux, South Alabama
Tori Hester, Troy
Caitlan Buettner, Texas State
Janell Fitzgerald, Texas State
Caroline Dozier, James Madison
Most Outstanding Player: Sophie Davis, James Madison
2022 Sun Belt Volleyball Tournament Schedule and Results
November 16-20, 2022 | Foley, Ala. | Foley Sports Tourism Complex
First Round – Wednesday, November 16
Match 1 - (6W) Arkansas State 3, (7E) Georgia State 0
Match 2 – (6E) Marshall 3, (7W) ULM 2
Second Round – Thursday, November 17
Match 3 – (6W) Arkansas State 3, (3E) Old Dominion 2
Match 4 – (5E) Georgia Southern 3, (4W) Southern Miss 1
Match 5 – (3W) South Alabama 3, (6E) Marshall 1
Match 6 – (5W) Louisiana 3, (4E) App State 2
Quarterfinals – Friday, November 18
Match 7 – (2W) Troy 3, (6W) Arkansas State 2
Match 8 – (1E) James Madison 3, (5E) Georgia Southern 0
Match 9 – (3W) South Alabama 3, (2E) Coastal Carolina 0
Match 10 – (1W) Texas State 3, (5W) Louisiana 1
Semifinals – Saturday, November 19
Match 11 – (1E) James Madison 3, (2W) Troy 2
Match 12 – (1W) Texas State 3, (3W) South Alabama 2
Championship – Sunday, November 20
Match 13 – 1:00 p.m. CT – (1E) James Madison 3, (1W) Texas State 1
All-Time Sun Belt Volleyball Tournament Champions
1983 - Jacksonville
1984 - VCU
1985 - VCU
1986 - South Florida
1987 - South Florida
1988 - South Florida
1989 - South Florida
1990 - UAB
1991 - Arkansas State
1992 - Arkansas State
1993 - Lamar
1994 - Arkansas State
1995 - Arkansas State
1996 - Little Rock
1997 - Little Rock
1998 - Little Rock
1999 - Arkansas State
2000 - Little Rock
2001 - FIU
2002 - Western Kentucky
2003 - New Mexico State
2004 - New Mexico State
2005 - Western Kentucky
2006 - Middle Tennessee
2007 - Middle Tennessee
2008 - Western Kentucky
2009 - Middle Tennessee
2010 - Middle Tennessee
2011 - Western Kentucky
2012 - Western Kentucky
2013 - Texas State
2014 - Little Rock
2015 - Arkansas State
2016 - Coastal Carolina
2017 - Coastal Carolina
2018 - Texas State
2019 - Texas State
2020 - Texas State
2021 – South Alabama
2022 – James Madison