Craven credits team chemistry for recent volleyball success

After going 4-0 during a two-weekend homestand that included wins over Southeastern Conference opponents Auburn, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas, the Ole Miss volleyball team (14-5, 8-2 SEC) has already matched its win total from last year when the team went 10-20 overall and 4-16 in the conference.  

The Rebels can attribute their success largely to the emergence of sophomore outside hitter Whitney Craven, who’s just five kills shy of her season mark last year.

“Coming from last year, losing as much as we did, I never thought that we couldn’t be the team that we are now on the court,” Craven said. “We have really come together this year.”

But Craven credited the team’s chemistry as the reason for this season’s early success.

“Our chemistry is better than it was last year,” Craven said. “Everybody’s just stepped up their game.”

Craven appeared in 25 matches her freshman year, starting in 22 and was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team. She tallied 218 kills and a 2.25 kill per set average that year, which was the third most on the team. 

Craven led the team with 22 service aces on the season and recorded 199 digs, averaging 1.99 digs per set.  

She posted 27.0 total blocks that year. Craven chalked up 12 double-digit kill performances and seven double-digit dig matches. 

She finished with four double-doubles on the season. Her season high in kills came against Alabama when she put down 20 kills along with 15 digs. 

Craven posted her season high dig performance against Arkansas with 13 kills and 22 digs, earning her SEC Freshman of the Week honors. She recorded a season-high three service aces against Mississippi State and a season-high 5.0 blocks against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

“It is a huge adjustment,” Craven said. “Every thing is going to be a little tough at first, and I couldn’t have done it without my team.”

This season, Craven leads the Ole Miss offense with 213 kills and a kill per set average of 3.18. Her 167 digs on the year rank second on the team for a dig per set average of 2.49. Craven’s 11 service aces are tied for third on the team and she has recorded 10 total blocks on the season.

“Last year I was very inconsistent,” Craven said. “This year my main focus has been just being that steady player and trying to be a leader out there on the court.”

Her season-high kill performance came against in-state rival Mississippi State when she put down 17 kills and recorded 9 digs for a kill per set average of 4.25.

“I think the thing that is most impressive is the maturity that she’s shown this year and the consistent level of play we’ve gotten from her,” Ole Miss coach, Joe Getzin, said. “That consistency has helped us out tremendously.”