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Volleyball Preview: Tampa to Make Season Debut at Tampa Classic
September 3, 2025

Volleyball Preview: Tampa to Make Season Debut at Tampa Classic

TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Tampa volleyball team will open up the 2025 campaign at the Bob Martinez Center as the program is set to host the Tampa Classic.

ABOUT THE SPARTANS

  • Former Head Coach Chris Catanach retired in April after over 40 seasons in charge of the Spartan program.
  • Head Coach Brian Imperiale will make his head coaching debut on Friday, September 5, when the team opens up against Lander at 6:00 P.M.
  • The program hired Andres Tirado Yamin as the Assistant Coach early this fall.
  • Tampa concluded the 2024 season with a 26-5 record and a runner-up finish in the South Region Championship. 
  • The Spartans return 10 players from a season ago while adding freshmen newcomers in Jenna Glaudel, Olivia Guzman, Ari Lopez, and Zoe Richardson.
  • Nathaly Perez returns to the squad after being named as an AVCA Second Team All-American last year.
  • Tampa was selected to finish second in the Sunshine State Conference by the coaches.
  • The program will begin the new season ranked No. 10 in the AVCA/TARAFLEX Preseason Poll.
  • Tampa has won its season openers dating all the way back to 2007.
  • UTampa will look to pick up its first-ever wins against opponents Lander, Emmanuel, and Findlay, having never played either Lander or Emmanuel and coming up short twice against Findlay.
  • Four seniors are on the roster for Tampa this season - Jenna Davis, Rachel Gregg, Perez, and Tess Schrenger.
  • Over the last five seasons, Tampa is 135-15 with a winning percentage of .900.

SCOUTING LANDER

  • Lander claimed the top spot in the Peach Belt Conference coaches' rankings.
  • Senior standout Katie Miller was recently named to the PBC All-Conference team.
  • The Bearcats finished the 2024 season with an overall record of 22-6.
  • Lander was crowned PBC Champions after finishing with an overall record of 7-1.
  • Lander will have a first-year head coach in Kathryn Settle after serving as the assistant coach since 2021. 
  • The Bearcats squad features nine players who are either freshmen or sophomores.

SCOUTING EMMANUEL

  • Conference Carolinas voted Emmanuel as the preseason favorite.
  • Emmanuel went 21-10 last season head coach James Friddle.
  • The Lions put together a very impressive conference record of 17-1.
  • The program returns nine players from last season, including 2024 Conference Carolinas Player of the Year, Ellie Jackson.
  • Jackson averaged 3.90 kills per set.

SCOUTING FINDLAY

  • Findlay is the only other team, along with Tampa, to enter the season ranked nationally.
  • The Oilers were picked to win the Great Midwest Athletic Conference and will start the 2025 campaign ranked No. 24 in the AVCA poll.
  • The program went 24-9 last season with an 11-4 record in conference play.
  • Findlay went on to win the program's first conference tournament championship and would make a run to the NCAA DII Sweet 16.
  • The Oilers have an experienced squad with 12 upperclassmen and are coached by Will Colchagoff.
  • Colchagoff boasts an overall record of 552-312 as the Oilers head coach.

SERIES HISTORY

  • Tampa has never faced either Lander or Emmanuel.
  • The Spartans have met Findlay on two previous occasions, with the Oilers coming out victorious both times. The last time the two teams met was in 2005.

FOLLOW ALONG