Maryland (0-0) vs. Coastal Carolina (0-0)
August 29, 2025
HTC Center
6:00 p.m.
ESPN+
Maryland (0-0)Â vs. North Carolina (0-0)
August 30, 2025
HTC Center
1:00 p.m.
COLLEGE PARK, MD -- The University of Maryland volleyball team opens the 2025 campaign in Conway, South Carolina. The Terps will face Coastal Carolina on Friday, August 29, followed by a contest with North Carolina on August 30.
First serve for Friday's game is slated for 6 p.m. ET, while Saturday's showdown will begin at 1 p.m. ET. The matchup against the Chanticleers will be streamed on ESPN+. The other game will not be streamed, but live stats will be made available.
2025Â Preview
- Head coach Adam Hughes heads into year eight at Maryland. Hughes and the Terps' coaching staff welcomed four transfers over the offseason. Three of the newcomers, including Ajack Malual, Haley Melby and Olivia Ruy, transferred from SEC programs.Â
- Malual, a transfer from Tennessee, boasts international experience, having grown up playing volleyball in Italy. The native of Rome attended Tambosi ETI and was a member of the Italian U18 National Team. Her sister, Adhu, competes professionally in Italy, while her brother, Dhiu, previously competed professionally there.Â
- "I think the staff and the program as a whole did a really good job of making sure we found the right pieces," Hughes said. "[We addressed] the things that we needed to replace in this off-season."
- With a blend of returning and incoming talent through the transfer portal and recruiting, Hughes and Maryland volleyball will look to raise the program's standards in 2025.Â
2025Â Maryland Volleyball Team Photo
returning strength
- Maryland returns Ally Williams and Eva Rohrbach to its roster in 2025 - each one expected to make a considerable impact on the court.
- Rohrbach led the team in blocks last season with 108 and finished fourth on the team in kills with 170.
- Williams finished second on the team in sets played last season and recorded 16 assists.Â
Ally Williams finished second on the team last year in sets played with 111.
transfer portal corner
- The Terps welcome four transfers to College Park this season: Ajack Malual, Haley Melby, Annika Sokol, and Olivia Ruy, each set to make their Big Ten debut.Â
- Ajack Malual arrives to College Park after spending last season at Tennessee.
- Haley Melby, entering her junior year, joins Maryland following two seasons at Kentucky.
- Olivia Ruy comes in as a redshirt sophomore season after starting in all but four matches last year with Arkansas.
- Annika Sokol adds depth and talent as she begins her first season in College Park after appearing in 27 matches at UTSA last season.
Ajack Malual joins the Terps after playing last season at Tennessee.Â
Series history
- North Carolina leads the all-time series record against Maryland 44-20. The last time the two teams matched up was back in 2013, when North Carolina won in five sets.Â
- Maryland has a 1-0 program record over Coastal Carolina. The last time the Terps faced the Chanticleers was in 2023 where they took a 3-2 victory.
Maryland hosted Georgetown for an exhibition match on August 23.Â
scouting report
- Coastal Carolina finished the 2024 campaign with a 13-17 overall record and a 7-9 record in the Sun Belt.Â
- Coastal was picked third in the East Division in the annual Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, while junior Jalyn Stout was named preseason Player of the Year.Â
- Stout earned First Team All-Sun Belt honors in 2024, ranking third in the Sun Belt in points (457.5) and total kills (402), sixth in kills per set (3.41), and 11th in digs (392). She posted double-digit assists in 29 of 30 matches, digs in 26 matches, and kills in 21 matches. Stout reset her NCAA record for most triple-doubles in a season with 20.Â
- Coastal returns seven letterwinners, including two of its three top outside hitters, Emily Fowler and Emma Van Elslande. Fowler finished third on the team in kills last season with 250 and had the most blocks of any returning player, 61. Van Elslande played in 84 sets and registered 143 kills, fifth-most on the team.
- North Carolina closed out 2024 with a 23-8 overall record. The Tar Heels look to build of the momentum of 2024 that saw them go 23-8 and an impressive 13-2 at home. They reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021 and won in the first round for the first time since 2019.
- Safi Hampton landed a spot on the Preseason All-ACC Team the league announced Thursday afternoon. She returns for her junior season after a breakout sophomore campaign. In 2024, she led all returning Tar Heels in kills (291), points per set (3.27), and points (342.0).
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