Augusta volleyball opens season with high expectations, new faces

By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Sports editor

A new season begins Friday, Aug. 28, for Augusta University volleyball, but the expectations surrounding the Jaguars remain familiar.

Augusta, the defending Peach Belt Conference regular-season co-champion, opens the 2026 season at the Lions Den Invitational in Franklin Springs, looking to build on a 25-9 campaign and another year among the conference’s top programs.

The Jaguars have won three conference championships over the last four seasons and enter this season picked second in the PBC preseason poll, trailing only Flagler.

Despite the success, Augusta will have a different look this season. The Jaguars welcome eight new faces to the roster, while one key player is expected to miss the season. That leaves the team with the challenge of developing chemistry and finding consistency early in the year.

Two familiar names will help lead the way.

Senior middle hitter Layne Witherspoon and reigning PBC Freshman of the Year Sofiia Snitsarevych were both named preseason All-Conference. Witherspoon also returns as an AVCA All-American and All-Conference performer, giving Augusta an experienced presence as the Jaguars navigate a changing roster.

Augusta will begin its season with three matches in two days inside Emmanuel University’s Volleyball Arena.

The Jaguars face Mars Hill at 2 p.m. Friday (Aug. 28) before taking on tournament host Emmanuel at 7 p.m. Augusta will close the tournament Saturday against Mount Olive at 12:30 p.m.

With a strong returning core, a large group of newcomers and the weight of recent success, the Lions Den Invitational will offer an early glimpse at what this year’s Jaguars can become.

For a deeper look at the team heading into the season, The Sports Squad recently sat down with Witherspoon to discuss the Jaguars’ expectations, goals and what it will take to bounce back from last season.

Witherspoon also discussed the team’s new faces and her role as a senior leader, giving listeners an inside perspective on a team entering the season with plenty to prove.

The latest episode of The Sports Squad is embedded below.

The episode also touches on Augusta’s women’s golf team, including its season-opening co-championship at Clemson and Sara Adams’ individual medalist performance at the Tiger Classic.

For volleyball, however, the wait is over. After months of preparation and anticipation, Augusta will finally get its chance to see how a new-look roster measures up.

The Jaguars begin that test Friday afternoon against Mars Hill.

Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.