HARTSVILLE, SC – In the season-opening tournament of the 2026 campaign, the Francis Marion University women's volleyball program registered a split on the final day of the Coker Cobra Classic, falling 3-1 to USC Aiken before responding with a 3-0 sweep over Coker University on Saturday (Aug. 29).
The Patriots posted a 2-1 record to begin the season and will now prepare for a four-match tournament in the Sunshine State as they travel to the Tampa University Volleyball Classic. FMU will face the host Spartans, who were ranked No. 2 nationally by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) in the preseason poll. The match is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 4 in the Bob Martinez Athletics Center.
Senior opposite hitter
Camryn Faggart was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Coker Cobra Classic following an impressive three-match stretch. She tallied 51 kills with a staggering .348 hitting percentage, including a career-high 20 kills against Valdosta State on Friday.
Against USC Aiken (3-0) of the Peach Belt Conference (PBC), Francis Marion was held to a .027 hitting percentage while surrendering 11 service aces in a 3-1 loss (20-25, 25-22, 11-25, 15-25) to the Pacers. Faggart once again led the offense with 14 kills while adding two blocks and two digs. Senior outside hitter
Madilyn Gartner finished with seven kills, two blocks, and eight digs, while graduate student middle blocker
Vanessa Blake also contributed seven kills. Sophomore setter
Aubrey Johnson directed the offense with an assist/dig double-double (20 assists, 11 digs).
The Patriots were led defensively by senior outside hitter
Haleigh Kamer, who produced a team-best 14 digs while totaling six kills. At the net, sophomore middle blocker
McKayla Stockwell recorded three blocks (1 solo).
Against Coker (2-1) of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC), the Patriots responded with a dominant 3-0 sweep (26-24, 25-18, 25-18) in the final match of the season-opening tournament. FMU owns an impressive 55-9 overall record in the all-time series with the Cobras.
Faggart finished with a game-high 17 kills on a .389 clip while adding two blocks and two digs. Blake dispatched eight kills on a .400 hitting percentage with three blocks and two digs. Kamer produced eight kills and eight blocks while Gartner totaled seven kills and 12 digs. Johnson recorded her second double-double of the day after guiding the offense with 34 assists and 12 digs.
The Patriot trio of Gartner, Johnson, and senior libero
McKenna Wiseman (11 digs) all tallied double-digit digs for the defense. Senior defensive specialist
Kayla Clayworth recorded a career-best three service aces in the sweep.
