COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Golden Eagle fans can catch their first glimpse of the 2019 Tennessee Tech volleyball team Friday, Aug. 23, as the program hosts its annual Purple vs. Gold Scrimmage. First serve at the Hooper Eblen Center is set for 7 p.m., and admission is free.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Ohio Valley Conference announced its All-OVC preseason volleyball team and predicted team order of finish for the 2019 season, giving Tennessee Tech senior Rachel Thomas a Preseason All-OVC Team nod.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tennessee Tech volleyball was one of 1,125 programs across the country that helped epitomize the definition of the term “student-athlete” over the course of the 2018-19 season, and was so recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association as a recipient of its Team Academic Award. The total of 1,125 breaks the AVCA’s previous year's total of 977 to set an all-time high. “Our players have been very focused on making positive strides on and off of the court,” said Tech head coach Jeannette Waldo, who will enter her second season this fall. “We are constantly stressing that we need to be student-athletes, in that order; students first, then successful athletes. Our staff is very proud of how our team has taken control of their academic journeys and we are looking forward to that mindset relating back onto the court.”

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With the calendar now into the summer months, the focus will soon shift to the impending fall athletics season, when Jeannette Waldo’s Tennessee Tech volleyball program will enter its second campaign. On Wednesday, the schedule for the upcoming season – the 45th in Tech Athletics history – was officially announced, evoking an increased sense of anticipation in the Hooper Eblen Center. Following an encouraging spring exhibition segment, Waldo, her assistant coaches Zach Weinberg and Tierney Flaherty, and the 2019 crop of Golden Eagles are excited by the potential found in a new blank slate.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech volleyball has added another piece to its repertoire for the 2019 season, as head coach Jeannette Waldo announced Friday that outside hitter Madeline (Madi) Furtado will join the Golden Eagle ranks as a transfer from Liberty. “We had been looking for the right transfer to bring in that could add ‘umph’ to our 2019 roster, and Madi is the exact right fit,” said Waldo. “She has experience playing at the Division I level and she will bring great depth to our outside (hitter) position.” “From our first conversation, her passion to excel in every way was very apparent. She is extremely competitive and we anticipate her making a great impact in our gym immediately.”

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team has released the dates and registration information for its annual slate of Jeannette Waldo Volleyball Camps for 2019.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team made very noticeable improvements in head coach Jeannette Waldo’s first season, and has already started training for the next phase of its journey in the fall of 2019. Looking to gauge the club’s progress against live opponents, the coaching staff has finalized a spring schedule that will begin Saturday, March 16, and be comprised of four dates. “Our team has taken great strides this spring, and we can’t wait to see them compete,” Waldo said. “We’ve put together a spring schedule that will challenge us as we prepare for our season in the fall, and since we are hosting two home events, we look forward to continuing to grow our local fan base.”

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball program has made an addition to its staff, naming Tierney Flaherty an assistant coach Wednesday morning. “We are so excited to be adding Tierney to our Tech family,” said head coach Jeannette Waldo. “Her passion for the sport and for building meaningful relationships was apparent early in the interview process.”

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball program has received a signed letter of intent from the newest member of its 2019 recruiting class, setter and Spring Hill, Tenn. native Emma Osterbur. Osterbur is the final piece of coach Jeannette Waldo’s first full recruiting class, joining six other members – liberos Raya George and Carly Skrabak, middle blockers Skylar Boom and Dallas Oatis, outside hitter Julia Wheeler and right side hitter Morgan Gish.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After a season that trended upward for the Tennessee Tech volleyball team, the Golden Eagles look to make an even bigger splash in 2018-19 season with the signing of six players on Wednesday. Head coach Jeannette Waldo’s signing class included:

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – In a match that featured so much buildup, and essentially functioned as an OVC Tournament playoff clash against UT Martin, Tennessee Tech volleyball just had ‘one of those games’ where nothing seemed to go right.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It all comes down to this. Saturday’s final match of the regular season will determine whether the Tennessee Tech volleyball program – in its first year under the direction of head coach Jeannette Waldo – will qualify for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the first time since 2015. Tech (11-18, 5-10 OVC), and its upcoming opponent, UT Martin (13-16, 6-9), came into this week in a tie for eighth place in the league standings, and were also two of the four OVC teams to begin the homestretch with a midweek matchup. 

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A Susie Jeziorowski career milestone was one of the few bright spots for Tennessee Tech in its match against Jacksonville State on Wednesday night, as the senior recorded career assist No. 2,000 in the Golden Eagles’ loss. Jeziorowski, a two-year starter from Green Lake, Wis., accomplished the feat in the second set, as she set up Rachel Thomas for her 11th assist of the evening. She finished with 28 helpers for the match, and added seven digs defensively.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Just when it looked like the OVC Tournament would be going on without them, the Tennessee Tech volleyball team took a huge step toward changing its destiny with a pair of road wins last weekend, and will look to further improve its postseason chances at home against Jacksonville State on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. “Being in contention for a spot in the conference tournament is definitely on the minds of our players,” said coach Jeannette Waldo. “As a staff, we are staying consistent in our preparation and trying to stay the course.  It’s an exciting week, no doubt about it, but it won’t do us any favors to change the way we approach matches at this point in the season.” Tech received what was arguably its best overall offensive production over a two-match conference weekend, as it featured three players (Erica Grant, Ali Verzani and Rachel Thomas) with at least 22 kills, and another, Taylor Dorsey, with 18.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – One night after a convincing three-set victory over Tennessee State, the Tennessee Tech volleyball team had a much more difficult time with Belmont on Saturday afternoon, but rose to the occasion when it mattered most to defeat the Bruins, 3-2. “We are operating on another level right now,” said head coach Jeannette Waldo. “Our desire to win is carrying us through.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As head coach Jeannette Waldo has said of her Tennessee Tech volleyball team in the past, ‘when they’re clicking, they can play with anybody in this league’. Such was the case Friday night for TTU, as they went into Nashville, got outstanding offensive production from all over the court, and dispatched the homestanding Tennessee State Tigers, 3-0.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In the metaphorical sense, it’s been quite the journey for Tennessee Tech volleyball in its first year under head coach Jeannette Waldo, and as the regular season nears its end, the Golden Eagles will embark on their final trip in the physical sense: a short jaunt to Nashville for dates with Tennessee State and Belmont. Tech (9-17, 3-9 OVC) goes back out on the road after coming up short in a pair of home matches to Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky last weekend. There were some bright spots, such as the play of outside hitter Ali Verzani, who totaled 35 kills in the two matches for a 3.89 per-set average. The redshirt sophomore was Tech’s most productive attacker in each match, highlighted by her second career 20-kill outing on Saturday against EKU. The Sioux City, Iowa native was very clean against the Colonels as well, taking a .275 attack percentage on 51 swings.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – In a match that followed almost the exact same script as the first meeting between the two teams, Tennessee Tech volleyball fell in five grueling sets to Eastern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon in the Hooper Eblen Center. The loss moves Tech’s record to 9-17 and 3-9 in the Ohio Valley Conference, and marks the only time this season that the Golden Eagles have been swept at home on a conference weekend.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech volleyball welcomed Morehead State inside the Hooper Eblen Center Friday night and found out its guest was as good as advertised, as the Golden Eagles fell to the second-place Eagles, 3-1, in an Ohio Valley Conference match. The loss, which is just Tech’s fourth at home this season, moved its record to 9-16 overall and 3-8 in the OVC. Morehead improves to 17-7, 8-3.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech volleyball will entertain a couple of familiar foes on Friday and Saturday, as Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky come to Cookeville for a pair of pivotal matches in the Golden Eagles’ quest to qualify for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Following a loss to Murray State last Friday, Tech (9-15, 3-7 OVC) regained its composure for Saturday’s match at Austin Peay, and gave the conference-leading Governors much more than they bargained for with victories in the first two sets. While the Govs eventually prevailed in five, the upset was nearly pulled off in the fourth, where the Golden Eagles fell in a tight one, 25-22. The last time Tech was home, two weeks ago, it came away with an impressive three-set victory over SIUE, then outlasted Eastern Illinois in five to boost its record inside the Hooper Eblen Center to 6-3, and move to 3-5 in OVC play.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – What a difference a day can make. Less than 24 hours after one of its most difficult matches of the season, Tennessee Tech volleyball rebounded with a tremendous effort Saturday against OVC leader Austin Peay, as TTU took the Governors to the brink of suffering their first home loss of the season. Tech (9-15, 3-6) was clearly not intimidated by its highly-decorated opponent, as it outplayed Austin Peay in the first two sets, and earned a 2-0 match lead in the process. The momentum shifted, however, as the Govs took sets three and four, and then sealed it in the fifth.

MURRAY, Ky. – Tennessee Tech volleyball was unable to come away with a league victory in a tough road environment on Friday night, as it fell, 3-0, at Murray State. The loss ends Tech’s previous winning streak of two games and moves its record to 9-14 on the season, and 3-6 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Shaniece James and Erica Grant led the Golden Eagle offense with six kills each. James only committed one attack error on 15 attempts for the team’s highest percentage, .333.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After a pair of huge wins inside the Hooper Eblen Center last weekend that greatly aided their Ohio Valley Conference Tournament hopes, Tennessee Tech volleyball will take its talents on the road again to throw down with two of the league’s best, Murray State and Austin Peay. Jeannette Waldo reported she felt her team had “turned a corner” with regards to its confidence following the sweep, and understandably so. The Golden Eagles came away with victories over SIUE and Eastern Illinois, and got it done on both sides of the court. Ali Verzani (31 kills), Erica Grant (29) and Rachel Thomas (21) led a superb offensive effort facilitated by Susie Jeziorowski (94 assists), while Kirsten Brugere racked up 4.88 digs per set in the back court, and Taylor Dorsey was in on 11 of Tech’s 18 blocks.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – After her offensive explosion this past weekend, Tech’s Ali Verzani has been honored with not one, but two weekly volleyball distinctions from the Ohio Valley Conference: Co-Offensive Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week. The redshirt sophomore was a productive centerpiece in both of the weekend’s matches for TTU, as she recorded team-highs in kills (31) and service aces (5), and added 21 digs for averages of 3.88 kills, 0.62 aces and 2.62 digs per set. The digs per set mark was the highest of any non-libero on the team.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It wasn’t the same dominating performance from Friday night, but they’ll take it. Tennessee Tech volleyball was not perfect on Saturday afternoon against Eastern Illinois, but it rose to the occasion when it mattered most in the fifth set, dispatching the Panthers 15-4 for a 3-2 victory. The Golden Eagles improve to a 9-13 season record, and are now 3-5 in OVC play, which looks markedly different from the 1-5 conference mark they brought into the weekend.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech volleyball ended its three-game losing streak emphatically on Friday night, and got a much-needed win in Ohio Valley Conference play, as it flew past Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in straight sets: 25-23, 25-21, 29-27. Tech doubled its 2017 win total with Friday’s triumph, as it moved to 8-13 for the season and 2-5 in the OVC. It was also TTU’s fifth win in eight matches inside the Hooper Eblen Center, a venue that is becoming difficult for opponents to leave victorious.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – From a wins and losses standpoint, it’s been a challenging conference season so far for Tennessee Tech volleyball, but plenty of encouragement lies in the examples of growth and maturity the team has showcased throughout. Perhaps the most notable instance took place last Saturday at Southeast Missouri. After spotting the Redhawks a 2-0 lead to start the match, Tech picked itself up and battled back to take sets three and four. It outplayed SEMO for much of the hard-fought fifth set, and held a late lead, but could not hang on.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – It did not look good for Tennessee Tech volleyball after two sets against Southeast Missouri, but the Golden Eagles dug in, and fought back to tie the match at two. The comeback effort would be thwarted by SEMO at the last second, however, as the Redhawks eked out a 15-13 victory in a winner-take-all fifth set. It was yet another notable example of a young TTU team learning, growing and grinding under first-year head coach Jeannette Waldo. Her team’s 7-13 record and 1-5 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference are not a true indicators of the progress it has made.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – After squaring off Tuesday night with Jacksonville State, Tennessee Tech volleyball will play a single match this weekend against Southeast Missouri, scheduled for a 2 p.m. first serve from the Redhawks’ Houck Field House. Tech’s (7-12) first midweek match in almost a month brought about significant alterations to its training schedule, and while transitions like these aren’t easy for any team, coach Jeanette Waldo can see both the pros and the cons.

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Tennessee Tech volleyball got off to a good start Tuesday night against Jacksonville State, but could not find consistent scoring in the middle stages of the match, which led to an eventual 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Gamecocks.