NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University
of Louisiana has nine newcomers on its 2024 women's volleyball roster. They are:
•
Olivia Arroyo, a 5-foot-7
libero/outside hitter from Albuquerque, N.M., and Coronado High School of Henderson, Nev. A transfer from two-year
College of Southern Nevada, Arroyo is a psychology major.
•
Kennedy Campbell, a 6-foot
middle blocker/right side from Atlanta and The Lovett School.
Campbell is a biology/pre-medical major.
•
Michaela Clayton, a 5-8
outside hitter from Thonotosassa, Fla., and Academy of the Holy Names in Tampa. Clayton is a
psychology/pre-medical major.
•
Felise Jones, a 5-6
setter from Chandler, Ariz., and Chandler High School. Jones
is a biology/pre-medical major.
•
Zoie Mayberry, a 5-7
middle blocker from Cincinnati and Wyoming High School. Mayberry
is a political science major.
•
Alaysia Miller, a 5-4
defensive specialist from Houma, La., and Terrebonne High School. Miller's major is biology.
•
Laila Person, a 5-9
right side from Cottleville, Mo., and Kirkwood High School. Person
is a biology/pre-medical major.
•
Jada Powell, a 5-9
outside hitter/right side from Detroit and Cass Tech High School. Powell is a biology/pre-medical major.
•
Kamea Uitenham, a 5-8
outside hitter from Hutto, Texas, and Hendrickson High School. Uitenham's major is business management.
These nine form half
of an 18-player roster in Pat Kendrick's eighth season as head coach.
Arroyo is a junior; the other eight newcomers are freshmen.
Arroyo produced 117 kills, 31 aces, 146 digs and 18 blocks in 21 matches
for Southern Nevada in 2023. Campbell was first-team all-state in 2023 and helped Lovett's Lions earn state runner-up
trophies in Class AAAA in 2023 and Class AA in 2022. Clayton was a four-year varsity starter at Holy Names,
and in the summer of 2023 she helped her club team, OTVA of Clearwater, Fla., win an AAU national championship.
Jones produced more than 1,000 career assists in three varsity seasons at Chandler and was second-team all-region in 2023.
Mayberry was second-team all-district in 2023 and a four-year varsity starter for Wyoming.
In track and field as a junior, Mayberry produced three top-three finishes at the Cincinnati Hills League championship meet.
Miller was a three-year varsity starter and team captain at Terrebonne and was first-team all-district in 2023.
Person was a four-year varsity starter for Kirkwood, and in 2023 she was first-team all-conference and second-team all-district.
Powell was a four-year varsity starter at Cass Tech who was all-state and all-city in 2023. She helped the Technicians
win a district championship in 2022.
Uitenham helped Hendrickson's Hawks win district championships in 2023 and 2022, and she was first-team all-district both seasons.
Uitenham hit .263 with 741 kills and 62 blocks her final two seasons.
XULA, the
preseason favorite
in the Red River Athletic Conference coaches poll,
will
open its 17th season Friday with
matches against host Saint Francis and NAIA No. 16 IU Kokomo in the Onset Invitational
at Fort Wayne, Ind. XULA's home opener will be Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. against NAIA No. 7 Columbia (Mo.)
in the three-day, six-team Big Easy Blastoff at the Convocation Center. Visit
xulatix.universitytickets.com to purchase tickets for home matches.
Front row, from left: Alaysia
Miller, Michaela
Clayton, Jada
Powell, Olivia
Arroyo.
Back row, from left: Kennedy
Campbell, Felise
Jones, Zoie
Mayberry, Kamea
Uitenham, Laila
Person.
