SOUTH CAROLINA VOLLEYBALL See why it's great to be a Gamecock!

HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE

Few venues can rival the atmosphere of the Carolina Volleyball Center, and Gamecock fans were out in record-setting numbers last fall. A crowd of 3,293 fans weathered a tropical storm on Aug. 30 against Clemson, the total is the second-highest for a home game in program history, just behind the record of 3,458 (also against Clemson, 8/25/2018). That came after an opening-weekend total of 5,340 fans for the two-game series against Towson. The team saw three of the top five most well-attended matches in program history happen in the span of six days.

In 2023, the team had more games with 2,000 or more fans (5) than in the previous 49 seasons of volleyball at South Carolina combined (3). The Gamecocks finished 44th nationally for total attendance (23,114) and 43rd in average attendance (1,651 per game). The team set the single-season total home attendance record on Oct. 27 against Arkansas, with 722 in attendance to push the season total to 19,230 fans. With four home games to spare, the team surpassed the previous record of 18,797, set during the 2018 season. Dating back to 2014, the Gamecock volleyball program is averaging at least 1,000 fans per game every season.

650 LINCOLN: HOME AWAY FROM HOME

The dorms at 650 Lincoln are state-of-the-art and convenient for student-athletes. Located right across the street from the team's weight room and competition center, the dorms make life just a little simpler for Gamecock volleyball.

A HISTORIC CAMPUS AWAITS YOU

Can't make it to campus in person? Then check out all you need to see when you think of the University of South Carolina and our capital city of Columbia!

No matter what season it is, the campus of South Carolina is a sight to behold. From the historic Horseshoe to the state-of-the-art Darla Moore Business School, Gamecocks have the best of both worlds in Columbia.

PURSUE YOUR DREAMS ON AND OFF THE COURT AT CAROLINA

The Dodie Anderson Academic Center provides state-of-the-art technology and support services that help Gamecock student-athletes reach their full potential. The proof is clear, with the department posting a record for combined GPA in the spring of 2020 and 32 consecutive semesters with a departmental GPA above 3.00.

The volleyball program has consistently shined in the classroom, earning AVCA Team Academic honors for ten consecutive seasons. In fall of 2022, the team worked hard for an in-season team GPA of 3.55.

Not only does the program have a perfect Academic Progress Rate over the last decade, it has also seen four recent members graduate in less than four full years. Savannah Murray, Claire Edwards and Janna Schlageter earned their degrees in three years, while Gabby Brown, Courtney Koehler and Mikayla Shields graduated a semester early from South Carolina.

"BEYOND SPORTS" INTERNSHIPS PUT YOU AHEAD OF THE FIELD

Rising Junior Mikayla Shields is a biological sciences major and hopes to work in medicine after her volleyball career ends.

South Carolina student-athletes have a chance to gain valuable work experience in their chosen field thanks to a program launched in 2017 by the Athletics Department titled “Beyond Sports.” This summer professional development and internship program is part of the Gamecock Promise.

The Beyond Sports program assists student-athletes for future success outside the fields of competition by giving them real-world experiences in their academic and career interests. One of the main goals is to provide student-athletes with meaningful professional development and work experience, while also helping them to be better prepared for professional life after college.

DID YOU KNOW: SOUTH CAROLINA IS AMONG THE FIRST UNIVERSITIES NATIONALLY REWARDING ACADEMIC SUCCESS WITH MONETARY SUPPORT!

GAMECOCKS OVERSEAS

South Carolina has seen a number of recent graduates heading overseas to pursue professional opportunities in volleyball. Here are a few alumnae from the past decade who have made an impact here and abroad...

From top to bottom: Mikayla Shields (2016-2019), Taylor Bruns (2009-12), Sarah Blomgren (2012-15), Dessaa Legros (2013-16) and Juliette Thévenin (2010-13).

MEET THE COACHES

TOM MENDOZA

Head Coach

  • Tom Mendoza is the first Gamecock coach to lead the team to back-to-back NCAA tournament trips in their first two seasons at the helm.
  • He earned his 50th win at South Carolina on Feb. 27, 2021 against No. 25 Missouri. He is the fastest Gamecock coach to reach 50, including a faster start than the two winningest coaches in program history - Kim Williams (226 wins) and Bonnie Kenny (171).
  • The team's 20 wins in 2019 are tied with Mendoza's 20-win team in 2018 for the most in a single season over the program's last decade of action, and the first back-to-back 20-win seasons since 2001-02. The team advanced to the second round of the tournament and earned win No. 20 after upsetting Colorado State - then ranked tenth in the country - in the opening round of action.
  • In his debut effort in the fall of 2018, he guided the team to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 16 years and an eight-win improvement from 2017. The Gamecocks jumped over 100 spots in the RPI rankings from year-to-year, and capped the season with a win over Colorado in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
  • Mendoza came to Columbia after two seasons as head coach at High Point University, where he led the Panthers to 47 wins and back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances.
  • Before taking over at High Point, Mendoza helped lay the foundation for one of the top indoor programs in the country at Creighton. He was with the Bluejays from 2010 to 2015, rising to the role of associate head coach and recruiting coordinator.
  • During his six years in Omaha, Mendoza helped the Bluejays win 20 or more matches five times, with five conference titles, five NCAA Tournament bids and a berth in the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2015.
  • Mendoza is joined in Columbia by his wife, Megan (pictured below). The couple has two dogs, Jay and Ace.
“Tom is a teacher and strategist who has been successful in his coaching career recruiting and developing young volleyball players to become outstanding student-athletes. I’m looking forward to the impact that Coach Mendoza will have on our volleyball program.” - Director of Athletics Ray Tanner
Tom and Megan Mendoza

Brittany Farrell

Assistant Coach

  • Brittany Farrell joined the staff as an assistant coach on Feb. 1, 2023. Farrell helped the Gamecocks reach the NCAA tournament in each of her two seasons as a player and most recently served as the head coach for the indoor and beach volleyball programs at Spartanburg Methodist College.
  • After starting her collegiate volleyball career as a player at Minnesota, Farrell (née McLean) joined the Gamecocks ahead of the 2018 season. She finished with 58 career games played at Carolina, totaling 484 kills, 122 digs and 65 total blocks with the team making the NCAA tournament in 2018 and 2019 – the first back-to-back postseason berths for the program since 2001-02.
  • After graduating cum laude with a bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication from South Carolina, Farrell earned her master’s in business administration from Stetson while competing with the Hatters’ beach volleyball program.
  • Farrell’s coaching career started with Spartanburg Methodist College, a program that competes at the junior college Division-I level. After serving as an assistant for the 2021 season, she assumed head coaching duties this past fall and helped the Pioneers go 21-12 overall with a region championship and a runner-up finish in the Southeast District. In the postseason, Farrell earned region coach of the year honors and had four of her student-athletes make the six-woman all-region team.
  • Brittany is married to Gamecock football alumni Chandler Farrell, the couple have a dog named Koda.
“Brittany made an impact her first time in Columbia and I’m proud and excited for her to join the staff to help this program take the next steps in the SEC and nationally. She brings a great mix of competitiveness and compassion, which has propelled her teams to reach the highest levels of success. I’m thrilled for her to mentor our student-athletes and help them reach their potential and achieve their goals.”- Tom Mendoza

ETHAN PHEISTER

Assistant Coach

  • Pheister joined the program as an assistant coach for the 2018 season, having spent the previous three as an assistant at LSU, working with the Tiger setters and helping coordinate the offense.
  • LSU turned itself around in 2017, going from nine wins in the previous season to 20 wins and an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Pheister also had prior experience coaching in the SEC, spending the 2012 season at Arkansas and helping the Razorbacks make the national tournament.
  • Prior to Baton Rouge, Pheister was at Duquesne for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, helping the Dukes make the NCAA tournament for the first time ever in his first season.
  • His keen eye for running offenses stems from a standout career as a student-athlete at Ball State. He picked up three all-conference honors in his time as a Cardinal, and finished with over 4,000 career assists.
  • Outside of the college ranks, Pheister served as the club coach for the Munciana Volleyball Club and High Performance Volleyball Club in Missouri.
  • Pheister and his partner, Jen Vilkoski, welcomed their first child, Amelia, in August of 2018.
"Ethan is an elite trainer and is one of the top minds in our game from a scouting and analysis perspective. More importantly, he identifies well with the student-athletes, and has a teach-first mentality to their development both on and off the court. Ethan has proven that he can help a program reach success both on the SEC and national stage, and that experience will be invaluable in our gym." - Tom Mendoza
From Left to Right: Head Athletic Trainer Jenn Herod, Director of Operations Madelyn Cole, Technical Coordinator Claire Edwards, Strength and Conditioning Coach Katelyn Woolfolk, Team Nutritionist Jeremy Ford, Academic Advisor Kaitlyn McCanna-Doty, Communications Director Joe Kepler, Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development Leah Lott

MEET THE TEAM

CONNECT WITH THE GAMECOCKS