The Southwestern Pirates volleyball team burst onto the scene in 2024, earning national attention during one of the best starts in program history. Entering the eighth week of the season, the Pirates boast a 17-2 overall record and an 8-1 mark in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) play, good for a tie atop the conference standings. Southwestern is currently ranked #14 in the nationwide AVCA Division III Coaches Poll, their highest ranking of the season thus far.

The Pirates surged out of the gate, winning their first seven matches, dropping only three sets in that span. SU opened the year by sweeping the Aurora Invitational in Illinois, knocking off host Aurora University and Elmhurst University before capping off the weekend with a 3-0 sweep over #21 University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. Junior outside-hitter Carly Berkman was named the Tournament MVP while senior libero Geneva Nedrow and junior outside hitter Payton Shiflet were named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Robertson Center was rocking as Southwestern opened the home portion of their schedule by hosting the SU Invitational from September 5-7. The Pirates went a perfect 4-0 on the weekend, dropping just one set en route to the Tournament Co-Championship. Highlighting the All-Tournament Team for the Pirates was junior setter Annika Flora, junior opposite Emily Marks, and junior middle blocker Lily McWhorter.

With a 7-0 record, the nation started to take notice. The Pirates entered the AVCA Coaches Poll at #24, their first national ranking since 2021, a season that began with 10 straight wins and ended with a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

In mid-September, the Pirates notched a pair of historic wins. SU traveled north to Belton to face Hardin-Simmons University, Hendrix College, and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in the UMHB Invitational. After a tough five-set defeat against Hardin-Simmons, Southwestern rebounded to beat Hendrix, setting up a matchup against a 13-0 UHMB squad. The Pirates cruised to a 3-0 sweep, earning their first win over the Crusaders since 2016. McWhorter was voted to the All-Tournament team for her elite defense.

A week later, Southwestern returned home to a packed Robertson Center to face rival and 15th-ranked Trinity to begin SCAC play. The Pirates fought to a four set victory, claiming the program’s second win over a ranked team of the season and first win over Trinity since 2016.

The victory would spark an 8-1 start to conference play for the Pirates, including four 3-0 sweeps. In their most recent contest, Southwestern fell behind Texas Lutheran University 2-0, just their second 2-0 deficit of the season, before rallying for a thrilling 3-2 victory at home. The Pirates were rewarded with their highest national ranking of the season, checking in at #14.

Through the course of their record-setting start to the season, the Pirates have plundered a treasure chest of conference awards. Nedrow earned SCAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the season’s opening week of play before Flora was named the SCAC Setter of the Week and McWhorter earned Defensive Player of the Week honors in week two.

Flora and Marks later swept SCAC weekly offensive honors not once, but twice. In both week four and week six, Flora was crowned Setter of the Week and Marks earned Offensive Player of the Week accolades. Flora earned three of the league’s first six Setter of the Week titles.

The regular season continues through Saturday, November 9 before the SCAC Tournament begins in Sherman on Friday, November 15. NCAA Tournament action kicks off on Friday, November 22.