Volleyball competes in exhibition to kick off 2025 season at home

Fans, family and friends flooded into Trojan Arena Saturday to see the exhibition match between Troy volleyball and Jacksonville State. 

“It was great to be back in Trojan Arena,” Head Coach Josh Lauer said. “It was fun to see our crowd.” 

The match was the perfect way to build excitement for the season and for the team to get some time on the court before their official home opener on Sept. 6. 

“It was great for people to come out for the exhibition,” Lauer said. “I liked our energy today and we learned a few good things about our team and where we are going.” 

Fans were able to get an early look at the team and experience the chemistry that will set the tone for the season. 

“I thought we had good bench energy today as well,” Lauer said. “Those are things we are going to need through the season. 

“I thought we did a good job of being stable through some highs and lows, and we stayed really stable with our energy and focus. We’ve got to have fun, but it’s got to be a fun that’s focused and competitive and I thought we did a good job of that.” 

The exhibition also gave the freshman group a chance to take some early swings in a match before the season begins and gave Lauer a chance to watch them compete under pressure. 

“We got all of our freshman in that are available here today,” Lauer said. “They all got a little bit of experience and it’s fun for their teammates to rally around them and play their first college match. 

“Younger players need to kind of break the ice a little bit. They’re super excited and they put in a lot of hard work.” 

Lauer says junior outside hitter, Amiah Butler, has had a lot of growth in the off season, and it showed on the court today. Butler earned Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference honors before the season’s start. 

“We’ve had a lot of conversations with Amiah about how she needs to stay even,” said Lauer. “She’s an emotional player and competitive. 

“She holds herself to a high standard, so she gets really hard on herself. She understands now how she has to let that go and let the team understand ‘Hey I’m under control, I’ve got this, I have your back’ and I think she did that well today.” 

Troy volleyball begins its official season in a match against Georgia on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 4 p.m. at the Pete Hanna Center in Birmingham, Alabama. The Trojans’ home opener will take place Saturday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m. After the game, fans can stick around for the volleyball Fan Day to get their posters signed and meet up with the team.