By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
With little continuity among Baylor’s middle blockers, junior Victoria Davis has become the anchor for a group that added two veteran transfers and a freshman.
“Her strength of character, Tori is going to never back down to anybody,” head coach Ryan McGuyre said. “She’s bringing her best every time. She can elevate and annihilate. One of our highest leapers on the team.”
In 2024, Davis shone alongside two seniors and a redshirt junior, leading the Bears in blocks 10 times. The then-sophomore totaled 74 blocks that season.
With Ava Grace Haggard graduating, graduate Manuela Bibinbe moving to the outside and Alicia Andrew transferring to No. 8 Wisconsin, Davis was the Bears’ lone remaining middle blocker.
Davis has worked with the new group — Florida transfer Gabrielle Essix, Syracuse transfer Anastasiia Nikolnikova, freshman Lauren Wiese — and sees plenty of promise in that core.
“It’s been so much fun,” Davis said. “I love our middle group so much and dearly. I really hope that every single one of us grows and reaches our potential and helps each other.”
Davis described the unit as being “competitive at the net” throughout the offseason, trying to get the leg up on the others during practice, “to make them a better player in general.”
In the Bears’ first six matches, Essix leads the team with 29 blocks and 1.38 blocks per set, while Davis is second with 23 blocks and 0.96 per set.
For Baylor, finding inspiration has been a group effort. Wiese, a freshman from Bellevue, Wash., has already jumped into a leadership position in a group that includes Davis, Essix and Nikolnikova.
McGuyre has talked before about his desire to “challenge” freshmen to become vocal leaders the moment they come to Waco, even when surrounded by more experienced teammates.
“The freshmen that came in January — like Lauren Weise, one of our middles — [have] incredible heart, desire and drive,” McGuyre said. “[They] probably felt lost and drinking out of a fire hose out of the gate, already having a voice and … motivating like Gabby and Tori and 9Nikolnikova]. We’re getting inspiration from one another.”
Wiese is playing alongside three proven veterans. Davis has played in 41 matches over two seasons with Baylor. Essix appeared in 71 matches and won a gold medal while at Florida. Nikolnikova finished top 10 in the ACC with 1.16 blocks per set last year at Syracuse.
Wiese is one of several freshmen to see early playing time for the Bears. They’ve been thrown into the fire right away, but have shown growth and improvement throughout the offseason and proven ready to make an immediate impact.
“Seeing a lot of [freshmen] from the spring until now, there’s been so much growth, especially in our middle class, our outsides and everyone,” Davis said. “Everyone is doing such a great job, so I’m excited to see them perform in actual gameplay.”
Baylor will hit the road to face No. 11 Florida at noon Sunday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
