The Ole Miss Volleyball Position Preview: Rebels Middle Blockers Ahead of Season

Originally posted on Ole Miss Rebels on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 10:47 AM ET

OXFORD, Miss. – With two weeks separating Ole Miss volleyball’s 2025 season opener, along with the start of head coach Bre Henry’s third full season as the team’s leader, here's a glance at the core of the Rebel defense in their four middle blockers.

With a mix of new faces, the Rebels anticipate another strong campaign on the defensive front.

Last season, the Rebels counted 293 total blocks, the most since 2017 and the second-most in program history during the rally-scoring era.

Additionally, Sasha Ratliff and Payton Brgoch secured their legacies as two of the top blockers in program history, with Ratliff setting the career program record for total blocks.

Tessa Jones returns to Oxford for her junior season, as Ole Miss welcomed three new middle blockers to its unit.

Jordyn Towns arrives via the transfer portal, and two freshmen, Carly Paugh and Keirstyn Carlton, look to make their marks to start their collegiate careers.

Jones, the lone returning middle blocker, saw improvement in her sophomore year and will look to build off that momentum heading into her junior season.

She competed in 10 matches last season, making three starts over 31 sets.

Jones tallied a career-high 12 kills against Texas A&M Commerce last season, scoring 15.5 points in the process. She accrued 25 kills in total last year while tacking on 11 blocks.

Towns comes to Ole Miss by way of Alabama, where she spent the past two seasons.

She appeared in 33 matches for the Crimson Tide, recording 195 kills and 82.0 total blocks in that span. At 6-foot-6, Towns provides valuable size to the Rebels, who finished second in the SEC last season in total blocks.

Towns has been most effective against SEC opponents in her collegiate career, recording all her career matches of 10 or more kills against conference foes. She tallied a career-high 12 kills against Mississippi State, helping Alabama to a win.

Paugh joins the Rebels after a successful stint at Willis High School in Texas, where she tallied 483 kills and 68 blocks as a senior.

A two-time All-District First Team member, Paugh also excelled in her club career, being named the TAV Houston 17 Offensive Player of the Year.

Outside of the court, Paugh is an exceptional student, being named to the All-District Academic Team three times.

Having enjoyed a decorated high school and club career, Carlton, like Paugh, unites with the Rebels from Texas. She was a four-time team MVP and team captain for the Drive Nation volleyball club.

Carlton earned All-State and All-League honors throughout her illustrious college career, while leading Stephenville High School to four district titles. With her high school team, Carlton reached the regional semifinals in 2024.

The Rebels will hit the court on Saturday, Aug. 23, for an exhibition matchup against Southern Miss at 2 p.m. CT at the Gillom Center prior to its official season opening weekend at the Georgia Tech Classic in Atlanta, Georgia.

This article first appeared on Ole Miss Rebels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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