Shawnee State volleyball team finishes successful season

Dylan Driskill, Staff Writer

November 23, 2023

Shawnee State University’s volleyball team recently finished the 2023 season with a 16-12 overall record and a berth in the River States Conference quarterfinals. The Bears went 11-8 in conference play for the season. Kylee Barney of Wheelersburg and Haidyn Wamsley of McDermott were named first-team all-conference for the season.

Wamsley and Barney are both juniors in the classroom and on the court. Having been opponents in high school play, they now work together to lead the SSU volleyball team. Barney finished the season with 250 kills, averaging 2.43 kills per set. Wamsley finished the season with 239 kills and averaged 2.32 kills per set.

The team finished the season with 1,269 kills overall, averaging 12.32 kills per set. The Bears showed dedication as they worked their way to matching the school’s record of nine players named to the RSC Scholar-Athlete Team. Wamsley was named to the team, along with senior Bethany Colling; sophomores Ava Jenkins, Faith Kuhn, Reagan Lewis, Makaela Lovely, Makenna Lovely and Megan Steele; and freshman Wylie Shipley.

More information on the team’s successes and stats can be found on the Shawnee State women’s volleyball webpage.

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About the Contributor

Dylan Driskill, Staff Writer

Dylan Driskill is in his senior year at Shawnee State University, studying sports management to be a college baseball coach. He loves baseball and doesn’t want to step away, so he plans to keep in touch with the game through coaching. He started playing baseball at 7 and hasn’t had a desire to leave the sport since. As a coach, he wants other players to know and love baseball as much as he does. His dedication doesn’t apply just to baseball. He describes himself as a “devout” Christian with the roots of his faith beginning at home. Dylan describes his faith as his own, saying that it is a personal conversion. Dylan grew up in Kaufman, Texas, attending a non-denominational church called C-life. He participated in vacation Bible school growing up, where he learned about the Bible, and a church-based basketball organization called Upward. Between basketball games, coaches and players would practice Bible verses and talk about the Bible. His parents instilled good manners, faith and southern hospitality in him as a child. He described southern hospitality as saying, “yes ma’am” and “no sir” and giving thanks. He was taught to thank God before meals and to thank others when they do something kind for you. He knew what the word respect meant and how to act respectfully. These values were taught to him by his parents. He calls his father the most influential person in his life. He says that his dad has been through a lot mentally and physically, and he was able to come through strong. Because of his strength through challenges, Dylan considers his father a great role model who has helped shape him into the person he is today. When asked what he would tell his younger self, Dylan's response was “to not take things for granted.” He said that if he had taken school, working out, health and life more seriously than he did, he would have felt more confident and prepared for life than he really was when he graduated high school.

Shawnee State volleyball team finishes successful season

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