Iowa Bound: Volleyball Punches Ticket to National Tournament

Decatur, AL – In front of a packed home crowd, nationally-ranked No. 20 Calhoun Volleyball delivered one of their most thrilling performances of the season, defeating No. 21 Jones College 3-1 (22-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-23) to claim the NJCAA Gulf South District Championship and secure their spot in the NJCAA National Championship Tournament.

The match was a battle from start to finish, with both teams trading momentum throughout. After dropping a close first set, Calhoun faced a daunting 14-20 deficit in the second before storming back with a remarkable run to win 26-24, a turning point that ignited the Warhawks and set the tone for the remainder of the match.

Offensively, the Warhawks were led by 2025 ACCC Tournament MVP Avery Boyd, who recorded a dominant 25 kills in the win. 2025 Region 22 First Team selection Maddie Schwabe orchestrated the offense with 51 assists, while also contributing 19 digs defensively. Laney Kelley and Ashtyn Douglas each added 11 kills, providing key support at the net. Defensively, Lucy Means anchored the back row with 20 digs, continuing her standout season as one of the ACCC's top defenders.

Head Coach Jamiee Freeman, recently named the 2025 NJCAA Region 22 Coach of the Year, was overcome with emotion following the championship win. "I'm honestly speechless right now," Freeman said. "I'm just so happy and proud of this team. They've earned every bit of this moment. I can't wait to get to the locker room to celebrate, and then we'll get right back to work. We didn't work this hard for it to end here."

Jones College, the Region 23 Champions and ranked No. 21 in the nation, ends their season at 30-5.

With the victory, Calhoun (31-3) now awaits its official national seeding before heading to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the NJCAA National Championship Tournament, set for November 19–22 at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse.