The Trevecca Nazarene University volleyball team completed a memorable 2022 season. The team and individual accomplishments are many, in particular for the NCAA Division II era. The Purple and White went 21-12 overall and 11-6 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play. Over the years programs have seasons that future teams measure themselves against. There are more than a few good years for the Scott Jones Era, but his second season is one that the rest of his teams would be compared to in some way as they changed the culture of the program. For coach Jayme Crowley the 2012 and 2015 seasons stand out. The 2021 Trojans and 2022 Trojans fit that descriptor in the Emily Moore Era. In many ways - as a team and individually - the 2022 volleyball season is a "Season of Measure."
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
The 21 wins overall wins are the most since the 2012 team put up 23 in the first year of NCAA Division II play. That 2012 team finished as the runner-up at the conference championships.
In all, Trevecca collected 19 regular season wins, the most since the 2012 squad finished with 22 regular season wins.
The 11-conference wins this season are historic in that it is now tied for the second-most league wins in program history. The 2007 team owns the most league wins with their 13-5 TranSouth Athletic Conference mark. The last time the Purple and White collected 11 conference wins is when the 2009 team went 11-3 in the TranSouth. The 2003 team also went 11-3 in league matches.
2022 REGULAR SEASON | HOW IT STARTED
The 2022 Great Midwest Preseason Coaches' Poll predicted Trevecca would be the second-best team in the G-MAC South Division, and after facing the 17-contest conference slate, that is where the Trojans finished.
Trevecca opened the season winning all four matches in the second annual Ray Thrasher Classic. The Thrasher Classic featured a strong field of NCAA Division II teams, mostly hailing from Tennessee. The team also produced a five-match win streak that spanned the close of September and the opening of October. All five wins were in league play as the team hit the midway point of the season. During the run, Trevecca knocked off KWC, Ursuline, Lake Erie, Malone, and Walsh. The last two on the road.
2022 GREAT MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP | HOW IT FINISHED
The Trojans advanced to this season's Great Midwest Championship match.
It is the ninth time the team has reached the conference championships in its 11 seasons in the Great Midwest.
Trevecca defeated Cedarville in the quarterfinal round, giving them a 4-1 record in the last five meetings with Cedarville. The Yellow Jackets had won the previous eight meetings.
It is the third championship appearance for the Purple and White and the first time since the 2015 team won the championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional. The first Great Midwest Championship in 2012 saw the Trojans make those finals as well.
2022 TROJAN WEEKLY AWARDS
Emilee McDonald was named the Great Midwest Defender of the Week twice this season (09/19/22, 10/02/22).
Ellie Buffler was twice named the Great Midwest Player of the Week (10/10/22 and 10/31/22).
Buffler was also named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Player of the Week (10/11/22 & 11/01/22).
2022 GREAT MIDWEST ALL CONFERENCE HONORS
Outside hitter Ellie Buffler made the First Team while setter Emilee McDonald and middle blocker Sami Raley were both tagged as Third Team selections.
ELLIE BUFFLER
Buffler capped off a historic career by cementing her name in the Trevecca record books. None bigger than picking up career kill No. 1,000 during the final match of the season-opening Ray Thrasher Classic.
The senior was near the top of the nation in service aces for the majority of the season. At one point she led the country in service aces and ended the season second. Her 73 services aces are an NCAA Div. II Era record at Trevecca, breaking her own record of 49 last year. The 73 also topped the G-MAC this season. She finished with 26 more aces than the person in second place.
Additionally, Buffler finished the season with the third most career service aces among active NCAA D2 volleyball players.
She finished No. 31 in kills at the NCAA Division II level.
Buffler finished second in the league in kills (402 / 3.50 ps) and points (496).
Her 2022 season totals include 299 digs, 41 blocks, and 36 assists.
On the career level, Buffler has collected the second most kills in program history (1,351 / 3.47 ps) and leads in service aces (184). She is second in points (1,612.5) and sixth in digs (970). Her career-hitting percentage is .195 and ended the season with 135 career blocks.
Chosen as a First Team All-Conference member for back-to-back seasons, Buffler has earned conference recognition all four seasons On the Hill. In her first year on the Hill she broke through with the Great Midwest Freshman of the Year honor and All-Conference Second Team. She followed that year up with a Second Team selection as a Sophomore and a First Team nod during her junior season.
EMMA GREEN
Emma Green made history of her own, setting the NCAA Div. II Era record for blocks in a season with 98. She eclipsed Persephonie Devereaux who had 94 in 2012. Green finished ranked sixth in the Great Midwest on the season.
Green also exploded in other categories this year, at least doubling her previous career numbers in kills, assists, service aces, digs, and blocks.
This season, Green had 129 kills (220), 11 service aces (11), 98 blocks (126), 49 digs (63), and 7 assists (7).
EMILEE MCDONALD
Another Trojan reaching a milestone is McDonald who reached the season 1,000 assists mark in the semifinal match of the Great Midwest Championships.
Her 1,032 assists (8.97 ps) are the sixth most in the Great Midwest this year. She also collected the league's 14th-best hitting percentage (.258). She is now top five in NCAA Div. II Era career assists at Trevecca.
She finished with 310 digs, ranking no. 14 in the league.
She added 27 service aces and 33 blocks.
SAMI RALEY
Raley made the Great Midwest's Third Team All-Conference team after finishing her senior season with 88 total blocks (a career-high).
She finishes the regular season with the fourth most kills (169) for the Trojans and a career-high seven service aces.
Raley has 429 career kills (.269 attack percentage) and 183 blocks.
Her 183 blocks are the fifth most in program history in the NCAA Era.
MADDIE WILDS
Wilds finished with 35 service aces, ranking in the top 20 in the G-MAC. Wilds finished seventh in the league with 394 digs (3.43 ps).
Added a career-high 199 kills, 51 assists, and 394 digs. Her 59 career service aces sneak into the NCAA Div. II Era top 10.
She surpassed the 500-career dig mark late in the season and now has 524.
KATIE CRUTCHFIELD
Crutchfield, from the libero position, finished with 27 service aces, making the top 25 in the conference. She also finished ninth in digs per set with 3.60 per set (324).
EMMA TITUS
Titus finished third on the team with 84 blocks, ranking no. 11 in the G-MAC. The sophomore finished with 276 kills (2.42 ps), ranking in the top 25 in the league.
The sophomore now has 373 career kills and 111 career blocks.
EMILY MOORE NOTES
Coach Emily Moore, with the five-set win over Ohio Dominican, earned her 60th career win as Trojan head coach. Through four regular seasons, Moore holds an overall record of 62-48 with a 32-24 mark in league play.
Moore owns the third most wins in Trevecca volleyball history after taking over the team prior to the 2019 season. Moore was the associate head coach for the Trojans during the 2018 campaign.
GREAT MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
| 2012 | 3-2 W | Urbana | Semifinals |
| 3-1 L | Cedarville | Finals | |
| 2013 | 3-0 W | Ursuline | Quarterfinals |
| 3-1 L | Ky Wesleyan | Semifinals | |
| 2014 | 3-0 L | Ky Wesleyan | Quarterfinals |
| 2015 | 3-0 W | Ky Wesleyan | Quarterfinals |
| 3-0 W | Alderson Broaddus | Semifinals | |
| 3-0 W | Cedarville | Finals * | |
| 2016 | 3-1 L | Ursuline | Quarterfinals |
| 2019 | 3-2 L | Walsh | Quarterfinals |
| 2020 | 3-1 L | Walsh | Quarterfinals |
| 2021 | 3-1 W | Walsh | Quarterfinals |
| 3-0 L | Hillsdale | Semifinals | |
| 2022 | 3-0 W | Cedarville | Quarterfinals |
| 3-1 W | Tiffin | Semifinals | |
| 3-0 L | Hillsdale | Finals |
ALL TIME RECORD
Trevecca is 701-888 all-time now, reaching the 700-win total in their conference tournament win over Cedarville. In conference play, the program is now 217-239 and 69-72 in Great Midwest play.
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