If the Badger volleyball team’s start to the season is any indication of future success, Scott Sandel’s squad could set another precedent by season’s end.
Amarillo College earned three wins in four outings during their season-opening stanza last weekend at the New Mexico Military Institute Classic in Roswell, New Mexico.
The outing marked the first time AC has started the season with at least three wins in its first four games since the reboot of athletics at Amarillo College in 2022.
“They’re a good, competitive group of kids and they compete for each other. Because of that, it helped them overcome the adversity we faced,” AC head coach Scott Sandel said. “We’re not a giant team, but we consist of well-rounded volleyball players. I think when you look at our success early, it’s because our ball control is better than most.”
On Friday, the Badgers opened the 2025 campaign with a convincing four-set victory against Pima Community College (25-15, 23-25, 25-17, 25-16).
Freshman Delany Galligan set the school record for hitting percentage in a single match (.625) in her AC debut. The 5-foot-11 Argyle native put down 10 kills on 16 attack attempts to tie Jayli Franklin for a team-high kill total during the season opener.
Galligani finished the tournament with a team-best 49 kills and a .426 hitting percentage.
“It doesn’t surprise me a bit. She’s been that type of player since the first time I watched her play,” Sandel noted. “She has the right mentally for an outside hitter, she doesn’t get down and goes to the next play. And she’s a good athlete so I look for to get better.”
A five-set victory against Laramie County Community College (20-25, 27-25, 24-26, 25-18, 15-7) capped day one at the NMMI Classic.
Freshman setter London Baker tallied a tourney-high 33 assists and fellow rookie Olivia Whitfield added 22 assists. Jaelynn Jackson put forth her top performance of the tournament with 12 kills via a .529 hitting percentage and had five blocks.
The block total is tied for the second-highest mark in a single game in team history.
AC played its first ranked opponent of the season on Saturday morning in a matchup with 12th ranked Navarro College.
The Badgers rallied in set three after dropping the first pair of frames. Facing a 24-22 deficit, freshman Chayse Wilson put down a critical back row kill to fend off a sweep.
After two Navarro hitting errors, Galligan’s tip shot over the Bulldogs’ double block secured a third set victory (26-24).
The 12th ranked program in the country according to the national preseason poll closed match with a dominant fourth set (25-13) by outhitting AC by a significant margin (.233 to -.034.)
Galligan and Jackson hit at a high clip, as the duo combined for 19 kills on 42 attack attempts. The sophomore, Jackson, had six kills on 14 swings while Galligan led the team with 13 kills via a .393 hitting percentage.
The rest of the team hit at a .027 clip (14 kills and 12 attack errors on 74 attempts) during the four-set defeat.
Sophomore setter Madeline Lentz and freshman middle blocker Jynae Fletcher saw their first action of the season on Saturday morning. Lentz recorded 11 assists while Fletcher recorded two blocks.
AC displayed their offensive versatility during the team’s NMMI Classic finale versus Tyler Junior College. Three Badgers finished with double-digit kills – Emery Bryan (10 kills), Wilson (13 kills), Galligan (14 kills).
Whitfield and Baker split setting duo, as the freshmen duo tallied 24 assists and 21 assists respectively.
Tascosa High alum and freshman middle blocker Yuna NG etched her name in the record book during the four-set victory with a team-high five blocks.
AC’s trio of libero of liberos – Tyler Pool, McCall Sims, Abi Ramsey – led the team in passer rating over the weekend. Sims recorded a team-best 2.48 passer rating by way of one error and 27 3-passes on 42 serve receive attempts.
Ramsey finished the NMMI Classic with a 2.30 rating while Pool was a close third at 2.21.
Sims led the team in digs with 14 across four games.
AC will take its 3-1 record into a five-game stretch this week. The Badgers visit Lamar Community College in Lamar, Colorado on Wednesday at 6 p.m. before heading to McCook, Nebraska for the McCook Community College Labor Day Weekend Tourney, Aug. 29-30.
The Badgers start the tourney on Friday, Aug. 29 against Cloud County Community College at 2 p.m. and Hutchinson Community College at 4 p.m.
On Saturday, Aug. 30, AC is scheduled to play Iowa Western at 9 a.m. and McCook at 1 p.m.