Posted: Aug 29, 2025
Volleyball takes down Texas College for Velez's first victory
The Wiley University volleyball team began a new era on Friday at Alumni Gymnasium. It overcame an early deficit in the first set and won two hard-fought sets to sweep Texas College (25-17, 25-22, 25-23), giving head coach Frankie Velez his first career victory.
The win marks the first time the Lady Wildcats were victorious in a season opener since 2021. It also gave them their first home victory since October 15, 2023, snapping an eight-match losing streak. Velez becomes the third coach since 2006 to win his debut.
"I'm proud of the ladies," Velez said. "They didn't give up when they fell behind. Once they settled in, they played great. I'm excited for them and we're going to keep going from here. This is just the beginning."
Errors put Wiley in a four-point deficit in the first set. Shyla Starks got a kill and a service ace and Rachelle Santos followed with a kill to trim the margin to one. Four kills helped Texas College push the margin to five. Momentum shifted with Nadia Cortez serving. She recorded three service aces and Jae Jemmott got a kill to give the Lady Wildcats a 15-14 advantage. Four more aces from Cortez and a kill by Johna Davis extended the run to 14 and the lead to nine. Two attack errors by the Lady Steers sealed the first set.
In the second set, the Lady Wildcats took a 17-10 lead on a kill and an ace by Rachelle Santos and a kill by Davis. Five attack and three service errors helped the Lady Steers pull within two. A block from Jacque'lene Jones and a kill by Davis clinched the set.
Texas College took an early lead in the third set. Once again, momentum shifted on Cortez's serve. She recorded an ace, Jemmott got a kill and Starks got a block to put Wiley in the lead. It built a 19-15 lead with an ace from Annie Narvaez and four errors by Texas College. Two receving errors, an attack error and a service error allowed the Lady Steers to take a one-point lead. A kill by Marai Guinyard and an ace by Cortez put Wiley ahead 23-22. Texas College tied it with a kill, but Santos put Wiley ahead with a kill and an ace by Maria Luiza Chaves
ended the match.
Cortez finished with nine aces and 15 digs. Jemmott led the team with 10 kills on 18 attempts. Santos and Starks followed with seven and six. Chaves recorded 15 assists, six digs, an ace and a kill. In her collegiate debut, Madison Herrera followed with eight assists and six digs. Jones had a solo block and a block assist. Chaves, Santos and Davis each had a block assist.
The Lady Wildcats will travel to Centenary College of Louisiana for an 11 a.m. match on Saturday.
For more coverage on the Lady Wildcats, visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/wvball/index.
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, softball and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, softball and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
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