Bethel University Women’s Volleyball 2024 Preview

McKENZIE — The 2023 Bethel University Volleyball squad finished 11-16 overall and 4-8 in the Mid-South Conference.

Bethel reached the MSC Championship Tournament as the No. 5 seed falling to Lindsey Wilson in the first round. 

The Cats return key players who were named all-conference selections last season.

Bethel’s Dominika Skoneczna and Setareh Valibeygi were named to the MSC All-Conference 1st team. Gabriela Domingez was named to the all-conference second team. With 945 attacks, Skoneczna was also named MSC Player of the Week and Attacker of the Week during the season.

Key returners Skoneczna, Valibeygi, Gabriela Dominguez, Sami Parker and Alexa Mclaren will be counted on to contribute to a successful 2024 season. Skoneczna led Bethel in kills last year with 316. Parker led the team in digs (352) this past season.

Several newcomers in the freshman class will provide fresh faces and talent to the program. 

Bethel is scheduled to play a 26- game schedule this season.

The Volley Cats open the season on the road at UT Southern August 23 rd . Bethel will play their home opener against Fisk on August 27 th . Bethel closes out the month on the road playing four matches in Owensboro, Kentucky in the Brescia Classic. 

The Cats will play nine matches in September with four of those being Mid- South Conference matchups. The first of which is against the longtime rival Freed-Hardeman right down the road in Henderson, Tennessee. The programs have met 45 times in the modern-day era with FHU holding a 23-22 advantage in the series. Bethel has won seven of the last ten meetings between the two.

October will see the Volley Cats play eight matches with six of those being league games. Five of those affairs will be home games in Crisp Arena. 

The Cats will conclude their season schedule with two home conference games being played in Crisp Arena before heading into what hopefully will be a good seed in the Mid- South Conference Tournament beginning November 7 in Bowling Green.
 

Coach Starla Cupples enters her 20 th year as head coach of Bethel volleyball. She ranks 28th in wins (317) among active volleyball coaches in the NAIA. She has a career record of 317-279.