Sports
New Faces Highlight the Rebel Volleyball Backcourt
As time draws near on the 2021 Ole Miss volleyball season OleMissSports.com continues highlight into this year’s squad as they get ready to take the court Friday at the Troy Invitational.
New faces are abundant among the Rebel libero group with junior Maggie Miller being the only returner out of the position group. Miller appeared in 19 matches last year, making six starts and putting on the libero jersey four times. Throughout the 2020-21 season, Miller tallied 105 total digs for an average of 1.48 per set.
Two transfers joined the group this off-season, as Sam Burgio and Riley Fischer swapped jerseys to become Rebels. The Maryland transfer Burgio led the Big 10 as a senior averaging 4.63 digs per set and recorded double-digit digs in each match last season.
Fischer came to Oxford after spending the last three seasons as a Florida Gator, appearing in 77 matches. As a sophomore in 2019, Fischer played in all 32 matches for UF and started in the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament where she totaled a career-high 10 digs in the second-round match against UCF.
Two freshmen also highlight the libero squad, as Bailee Middleton and Bria Samilton joined the Rebels this past summer. A Kansas City native, Middleton was tabbed with First Team Missouri All-District Honors 2018-2020. The standout out of Liberty High School was also voted First Team All-State in 2019 and 2020.
Samilton made a strong impact throughout the state of Arizona, as she led all 6A liberos in 2018 with 530 digs and 106 assists. The next season, Samilton trended upward and was named all-region in 2019.
Ole Miss begins the 2021 season at the Troy Invitational from August 27-28 to begin the 2021 season. The Rebels take on the host Trojans Friday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+, while Ole Miss will conclude the tournament against UAB on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | L, 24-17 |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | W, 26-14 |
| Thu, Jan 2 |  | vs Duke (Gator Bowl) | W, 52-20 |
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | 11:00 AM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |