Norfolk State Volleyball Looks to Take the Next Step this Fall

The Norfolk State volleyball program enters the 2025 season with a blend of excitement and urgency. Head coach Kathy Bullock, now in her seventh year at the helm, believes the Spartans are positioned to climb higher in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings after showing flashes of potential last fall.

Norfolk State opens the year with a trip south to Orlando, Fla., at the UCF Tournament form Aug. 29-30. They will face UT Chattanooga, UC Riverside, and UCF. Following the tournament, the Spartans will travel a couple of hours north to take on nationally ranked Florida in Gainesville, Fla. The roster features a mix of veterans and newcomers who have already started making an impact.

Norfolk State finished 2024 with a 13-15 record and a 7-7 mark in conference play. The Spartans qualified for the MEAC Tournament and reached the quarterfinals before Maryland Eastern Shore ended their run in a 3-1 decision.

That taste of postseason volleyball has lingered with the returners, particularly All-MEAC selections Gabby Gilbert and Sydney McCree. Gilbert, who earned First Team honors, returns as one of the league’s top outside hitters, while McCree brings steady leadership as a senior setter.

"With me being a senior, I’ve taken on the role of being a leader,” McCree said. “That has allowed me to create a stronger bond with my teammates this season. We all want the same thing — to push Norfolk State further than we’ve been before.”

Bullock’s roster balances experience with youth. The Spartans return 10 players, while nine newcomers bring fresh talent and depth. Senior transfer Mya Wood has already made an impression, both on and off the court.

“All throughout my playing career, I always had a leadership mindset,” Wood said. “I come to this team with a championship mindset, and you can’t have that without a leader stepping up to make it happen.”

Norfolk State also added transfer Paula Sigurani from Morgan State, bolstering the front row, and welcomed seven freshmen — Mikayla Middleton, Isis Castille, twins Jolie and Mina Faw, Gabriella Viana daSilva, Mary Nahinu and Ava Berry. The group has shown promise in preseason camp, giving Bullock confidence in the team’s depth.

The Spartans’ home opener carries extra weight this season, as they host Hampton on Sept. 23 in the annual Battle of the Bay. The rivalry match often draws one of the largest crowds of the year inside Gill’s Gymnasium and serves as a measuring stick before the heart of MEAC play.

With proven leaders like Gilbert and McCree, the emergence of newcomers such as Wood, and a group of hungry freshmen ready to prove themselves, Norfolk State enters 2025 with one clear mission: to move from contender to challenger in the MEAC.