Tiger volleyball excited to put skills to the test in exhibition action

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Mizzou volleyball team will finally get to face someone new on Saturday, when head coach Dawn Sullivan and company host Drake for exhibition play on Saturday.

That exhibition will comes just one week after the Tigers invited fans out to the Hearnes Center for the annual black and gold scrimmage. Coach Sullivan said, even though it was still intrasquad work, she learned a lot about her new-look squad.

"I think the serve and pass, that's one area, you know, we really focused on," she said. "I thought they did a really nice job controlling the court and the reception piece, I was really impressed with that part. The other part, you know, just offensively, how do we maybe minimize our errors a little bit more? But, on the flip side, you know, we're really aggressive with our block and defense. It's always hard when you play against yourself because it's like yeah you do well one way you do well on the other side, but No. 1 I just was really excited to see how they showed up and the way they competed and the way they still stayed together as a group."

You can watch the full press conference with Sullivan in the video player below.

Now, Coach Sullivan is excited for her group to tackle their first real challenge, when the Bulldogs come to town for the first of two preseason exhibition matchups for the Tigers.

"I think the biggest thing is they don't know us and we don't know them, so how can we play our game against them and how can we learn there sooner, so that we're able to just execute? I'm excited to play another team and just show the world like what we've been working on for the last year," outside hitter Paige Felder said.

You can watch the full press conference with Felder in the video player below.

Although just a sophomore, Felder is a part of a group of returning talent that is driving the hunger and fire for this 2026 Tiger team.

Sullivan said this year's roster is one that's already become a cohesive unit, always wanting an extra rep and pushing each other to be the ultimate competitors. They have had to acclimate to actually playing together on the court, as a majority of the roster is new to Columbia, this year. However, Sullivan added that she saw her team get more and more comfortable as that black and gold scrimmage went on, on Saturday.

"There was one play, it actually was [Paige Felder], where Nina [Mandovic] fired it out there really fast for her and she just ripped it off the hands and I was like, 'okay, well that's what we're going to see more and more of.' So, you're starting to see those connections. We had some pretty high moments and just look to see more and more of those," Sullivan said.

Overall, the coaching staff has been really impressed with the preseason that Felder has been having, as she's primed to have a big sophomore season after getting into 16 matches in 2025.

"She is like dialed in and I would say on a mission to be great and she's just so disciplined," Sullivan said. "She always has been disciplined with what she does, but even after practice she's like, 'no, I just want a few more reps, want a few more reps.' She's so intentional about how she makes her moves and the way she's kind of leading this group. I've just been very, very impressed with her."

"It makes me proud to know that because I feel confident going into this next season and it's knowing like that my coaches also have my back. It just makes me happy and just going into this next season, I just feel more confident and ready," Felder said. "I work every day to be intentional, so it's good to know that it's noticed."

After missing out on the postseason, in 2025, Mizzou is set on making it back to that stage in the 2026 campaign.

"We definitely want to make the tournament and we want to go far in the SEC Tournament, if not win the SEC Championship," Felder said. "A big thing also is just passing, reception, how can we get a 2.5 is what we call it and as well as getting hitting over .250. Som just executing our skills, but also going far in the tournament and SEC," Felder said, when asked about the team's goals.

Mizzou will lift up the first serve against Drake at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15 at the Hearnes Center.