Twenty-three days.
That’s all that separates Missouri volleyball from its annual Black and Gold Scrimmage on Aug. 8, the first glimpse of a team attempting to return to the NCAA Tournament after last season’s step backward.
A week later comes the exhibition against Drake on Aug. 15, another opportunity for coach Dawn Sullivan to sort through a roster filled with new faces, returning talent and unanswered questions.
For now, though, the lineup exists only on paper.
There is no official depth chart. No
starting six. No preseason match to judge who has separated themselves.
What there is, however, are educated guesses based on returning production, recruiting résumés and the way Sullivan has traditionally built her teams.
Every preseason has position battles. This one may have more than any Missouri team has seen since Sullivan arrived in Columbia.
There is only one spot that feels close to settled.
Utah State transfer Lauren Larkin appears to be the safest bet to start when Missouri opens the season.
The 6-foot-2 middle blocker arrives after helping the Aggies reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament while leading the team with 100 blocks last season. She combines length with mobility, exactly the type of middle Sullivan has consistently favored throughout her coaching career.
If Missouri continues running its trademark slide attack, Larkin looks like a natural fit. Her athleticism allows her to move laterally while remaining a strong blocking presence at the net, giving the Tigers an experienced centerpiece which the front row can be built around.
After that, nearly every position remains open for discussion.
None looms larger than setter.
Marina Crownover’s departure to Oregon left behind more than assists. It created one of the most fascinating competitions of the preseason.
On one side stands Sierra Dudley.
Her résumé speaks for itself.
As a freshman, Dudley earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors after totaling 1,161 assists and becoming the first Tiger to eclipse 1,000 assists in a season since 2019. Even after Crownover arrived the following year, Dudley remained part of the rotation, appearing in 23 matches before taking a redshirt last season.
Players with that kind of collegiate experience rarely surrender starting jobs without a fight.
Standing opposite Dudley is Nina Mandovic.
While her first season at Missouri produced 173 assists across 18 matches, her international background suggests there may be far more to her game than last year’s numbers indicate.
Mandovic helped Serbia capture silver medals at both the U22 European Championship and the U19 World Championship, where she earned Best Setter honors. She also represented Serbia at the U21 World Championship and competed professionally in one of Europe’s strongest volleyball nations before arriving at Missouri.
The battle between Dudley’s collegiate résumé and Mandovic’s international pedigree could become the defining storyline of preseason camp.
It also raises another question.
Will Sullivan once again deploy her preferred 6-2 offense, or will Missouri shift toward a 5-1?
That answer could shape playing time for Zoey Matias Lopez and Evansville transfer Ainoah Cruz, two players who appear likely to see heavy minutes regardless of the system. If Sullivan sticks with a 6-2, both become even more valuable because of their versatility and ability to keep the offense moving.
Outside hitter may offer just as much intrigue.
Earlier this week in First Serve, I spoke to Kimani Johnson and Claire Morrissey standing out as breakout candidates entering the season. That projection has not changed.
Johnson flashed her potential last year, averaging 1.76 kills per set while hitting .275 and producing one of the most efficient performances in school history by hitting .813 against James Madison. Morrissey arrived as one of the nation’s top recruits and gained valuable experience across her first two seasons despite playing behind veteran talent.
With Janet DeMarrais and Caylen Alexander gone, the opportunity now belongs to someone else.
Johnson and Morrissey appear well positioned to seize it.
But they are not alone.
Maca Lobaglio forced her way into the lineup as a true freshman last season, something Sullivan has rarely relied upon during her tenure. Lobaglio responded with 90 kills, 51 blocks and a .204 hitting percentage, proving she could handle SEC competition earlier than expected.
That experience makes her impossible to overlook entering preseason.
What makes this position group especially fascinating is its flexibility.
Johnson and Morrissey may begin camp as projected outsides or right sides, both possess the athleticism and length to factor into the competition for Missouri’s second middle blocker position if Sullivan believes that alignment gives the Tigers their best lineup.
The race for the second middle remains completely open.
Tia Phinezy enters camp after showing flashes during limited action, finishing with an efficient .294 hitting percentage while averaging 1.29 kills per set. Grace O’Reilly also deserves consideration after transferring from Long Beach State and displaying the mobility that could fit Sullivan’s fast-paced offensive system.
The second middle blocker spot may ultimately become the most fluid competition on the roster.
Then there are the freshmen, who may see the 900 square feet.
Freshmen Eva Smith and Millie Bauer arrive with decorated high school careers and could see the floor earlier than many first-year players under Sullivan. Bauer’s combination of more than 1,600 career kills, multiple all-state honors and experience competing at a high level in Missouri makes her an intriguing long-term piece, while Smith brings a winning background, height, and versatility developed through years of success in both volleyball and basketball.
The biggest wildcard of the freshmen may be Ceylin Kuyan.
The Turkish outside hitter enters college with professional experience overseas and success on the international stage, credentials few freshmen can match. Whether that translates immediately to the SEC remains one of the most compelling questions heading into camp.
Fortunately for Missouri fans, answers are coming soon.
The Black and Gold Scrimmage and Drake exhibition will provide the first clues about how Sullivan envisions her lineup and whether preseason projections match reality.
Until then, every starting spot except one feels open for competition.
And that may be exactly how Sullivan wants it.
Next Friday, The Fifth Set returns with another look inside Missouri volleyball as the Tigers move one week closer to opening serve on the 2026 season, while Monday’s First Serve continues telling stories about Mizzou volleyball.
