By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
Nine players are gone from last year.
Elise McGhee leaves behind a record-breaking legacy. Lauren Briseño earned All-Big 12 honors. Allie Sczech transferred to No. 1-ranked Nebraska.
After losing a fleet of major contributors, No. 20 Baylor volleyball has rebuilt its roster with three transfers and four freshmen.
“What stands out is how cohesive they are,” head coach Ryan McGuyre said at Big 12 volleyball media days. “When all these players that have left us have graduated, others got to step up and fill that void.”
McGuyre and his coaching staff looked to the transfer portal, evaluating possible additions with a more holistic approach. They emphasized the players’ ability to endure the grind of a Big 12 volleyball schedule.
“There’s an importance for us in looking for athletes that have incredible drive,” McGuyre said. “We’re looking for someone that’s self-motivated, can be mentally tough and can call upon themselves to perform on command.”
The Bears added to their middle blocker group with senior Anastasiia Nikolnikova, who finished top 10 in the ACC with 1.16 blocks per set for Syracuse, and graduate Gabrielle Essix, who missed most of last season for Florida with a knee injury. A third acquisition, sophomore outside hitter MJ McCurdy, ranked second on Texas State with 383.0 points.
“[The freshmen are] so much fun both on and off the court,” junior middle blocker Victoria Davis said. “They’re all very talented, but they really want to learn, and that’s one key piece that I feel like is really important for anyone going into college.”
It’s the returners that are poised to lead the team back to the NCAA tournament. After securing a school record ninth-consecutive NCAA tournament appearance in 2024, they know what it takes to make noise in the postseason.
“Our returners have been remarkable in their response,” McGuyre said. “There’s a hunger … all of our team was really hungry this summer, they’ve been really humble, they’ve put others first, but they’ve been pretty smart about how they go about it.”
Having been a part of the program, the veterans have experienced McGuyre’s philosophy that anyone on the team can step up and be a leader, regardless of classification. They have the opportunity to put that philosophy into action and guide the new roster.
“We challenge everybody from their freshman year, and now we get to see the new personality of the 2025 team,” McGuyre said. “I’ve been nothing but thrilled to see [it] since the start of it.”
Davis has been at the forefront of the effort. She is set to command the front as a promising force after leading the team in blocks 10 times throughout last season.
“Tori [Davis] is one of our captains this year, and she brings out the best in others,” McGuyre said. “If you’re playing Tori, you’re not just playing Tori, but you’re bringing all her sisters with her.”
As a leader, Davis has bought the team’s motto: “R.I.S.E.,” which tracks some of the core values meant to unite the Bears. The acronym stands for Remarkable, Invested, Single-hearted, Engaged.
“This year, our word is ‘R.I.S.E.,’” Davis said. “Every letter correlates with something, but for me, ‘singlehearted,’ the ‘S,’ is what I am personally focusing in on.”
There is a focus on being one unit through the spectrum of experience and familiarity with Baylor’s program. This value is geared toward growing and building a common identity within the team.
“As a group, it’s really important that we’re all going toward one vision, one goal, and we’re all on the same track,” Davis said. “I’m excited to learn with everybody; I’m excited to grow with everybody.”
There is a shared sense of competitiveness heading into the 2025 campaign as the Bears look to bring out the best versions of themselves.
“It’s been competitive at the net, both the attacking side and the blocking side,” Davis said. “But we have a fun, kind of back-and-forth competitiveness to it where we want to block the other person, but we want to make them a better player in general.”
Expectations are high for McGuyre’s squad, which has not missed a tournament since his first year at the helm in 2015. But with multiple new faces and new leaders, Baylor’s path back to the postseason may not be as clear-cut as it was in the past.
“Expect the unexpected,” McGuyre said. “As a coach, normally you have the lineup that you love and stick with it, but I think we’ll be able to adjust as the season gets going.”
McGuyre still believes that his team will improve and not back down as the season progresses. They will be tested early, playing eight ranked teams (including five in the Big 12).
“Expect a team that is going to fight,” McGuyre said. “Expect us to be better in November and December than we are in August and September.”
The Bears open their season at 2:30 p.m. Friday against South Alabama at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.
