Missouri volleyball has a new look this fall, and head coach Dawn Sullivan is serving up the details. Sullivan and sophomore outside hitter Paige Felder met with reporters on Monday, Aug. 10 in the media room at the Mizzou Arena, part of a fall sports media day.
For volleyball, the buzz was all about a roster full of newcomers who’ve already meshed, with their first live look at the team in the annual Black and Gold scrimmage, and a 2026 schedule that includes the program’s first true test against
outside competition.
Black and Gold Gives First Glimpse of New Roster
The Black and Gold scrimmage, played in front of fans at the Hearnes Center, was the first real chance to see this year’s team show up and show out.
“I thought they did a really nice job controlling the court and the reception piece,” Sullivan said. “I was really impressed with that part.”
She added that the group’s togetherness stood out most: “I just was really excited just how they showed up and the way they competed and the way they still stayed together as a group.”
Sullivan pointed to setter Nina Mandovic as a standout, emphasizing she wants to see Mandovic continue directing the offense along the net and keeping the ball high. She also singled out back-row play from Ainoah Cruz and Zoey Matias-Lopez, along with St. Louis product Claire Morrissey, for their ball control and a desire to clean up their offensive game.
Felder Embracing Leadership Role in Sophomore Season
Felder has carried her focus into preseason camp, utilizing her work ethic and showing signs of leadership she has brought to a retooled roster.
“She is dialed in, and I would say on a mission to be great, and she’s just so disciplined,” Sullivan said. “She always has been disciplined with what she does, but even after practice today, she’s like, ‘no, I just want a few more reps, want a few more reps,’ and so intentional about how she makes her moves and the way she’s kind of leading this group.”
Felder emphasized that hearing from her coach only adds to her confidence heading into her sophomore season with the Tigers.
“It makes me proud to know that, because I feel confident going into this next season and knowing that my coaches also have my back,” Felder said. “It just makes me happy and going into this next season, I just feel more confident and ready. I work every day to be intentional, so it’s good to know that it’s noticed.”
New Faces Settling in Quickly
With a roster that has undergone significant change, both Sullivan and Felder stated the group has bonded faster than expected. Sullivan credited this to a summer spent training together for building early momentum.
“They’re killing it, is what I’ll tell you,” Sullivan said. “And one is just because they’re so tight. They’ve been together all summer, just training and working hard to have this one team, and I think they’re doing a really good job out there. And then on the court, just the cohesive unit, they’re very open-minded.”
Felder mentioned the newcomers, particularly the freshman class, have made the transition easy and have done a good job inserting themselves onto the squad.
“I was talking about how the freshmen bring lots of energy,” Felder said. “They’re just excited to be there, and it’s a different feeling that I love to have because when you’re excited about volleyball, [and] it’s just easy to get along with people like that.”
Exhibitions and a Trip to Wrigley on Deck
The Tigers’ next test comes against outside competition for the first time this preseason, and Sullivan stated she is eager to see how a roster full of newcomers handles unfamiliar opponents and how that is part of the appeal.
“They don’t know us and we don’t know them,” Felder said. “I’m excited to play another team and just show the world what we’ve been working on for the last year.”
A few games down the road, Mizzou is slated to play outdoors at the familiar Wrigley Field against Nebraska, a matchup the fans aren’t just excited for.
“I’m excited to play at Wrigley,” Felder said. “It’s ]definitely a dream. It was something I never thought I would do, but now that I’m doing it, and I just can’t wait to play outside and against Nebraska.”
Setting the Bar for the Season
With a new season at large, the team has already discussed their goals for the fall, along with an SEC Tournament run at the top of their list.
“We definitely want to make the tournament, and we want to go far in the SEC tournament, if not win the SEC champs,” Felder said. “Just a big thing, also is just passing reception. How can we get 2.5, is what we call it, and as well as hitting over 250, so just executing our skills, but also going far in the tournament and SEC.”
As for Felder, her own preseason focus has been working on being a steadier presence on the court. With that mindset at play, her season is sure to be filled with lots of memorable moments.
“During this preseason I say, how can I show consistency and drive, and just being just a leader in how I play,” Felder said. “I’ve tried to talk more, but I feel like how can I be consistent where people can trust me on the court.”
For a roster built on loads of new faces and early chemistry, the goals are set and it is a matter of putting those pieces together before SEC play begins.
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