Savannah Country Day enters the 2026 volleyball season with proven talent returning, but also with some important roles to fill after losing several key seniors from last year's team. The Hornets finished the 2025 season 13-11 overall and 8-2 in region play.
The Savannah Country Day volleyball team poses for its 2026 team photo at Savannah Country Day School. Photo courtesy of Savannah Country Day Athletics
Some returning players include Olivia Aliotta and Addison Stubbs, who led Country Day in two major statistical categories last season. Aliotta led the Hornets' offense with 197 kills, averaging 2.5 kills per set with a .238 hitting percentage. Stubbs led the defense with 206 digs and also recorded 282 receptions.
Savannah Country Day's Olivia Aliotta goes up for an attack during a 2026 match. Aliotta returns as one of the Hornets' leading offensive players. Photo courtesy of Savannah Country Day Athletics
Those returning players will be important as Country Day tries to replace important production from its graduating class. Boots Buckler led the Hornets with 228 assists and 73 serving aces last season, while Avery Helmly added another 137 assists. Caroline Semones contributed 69 kills and 25 total blocks. Replacing that production, particularly at setter, will be one of the Hornets' biggest challenges this season. Head coach Kyla King believes junior Emily Grace James is ready to step into that role.
“EG (Emily Grace) James has stepped into the setter role beautifully. She has embraced the role with focus, confidence, and positivity,” King says. “EG runs our offense with a strong tempo, while creatively utilizing our hitters and consistently putting our team in a position to score. I’m excited to watch her continue to grow as a leader on the court and see how she helps shape our offense throughout the season.”
Consistency will also be important for a team that showed last season it could compete but sometimes struggled against stronger teams. Junior Vivienne Carter said the Hornets learned from those experiences.
“I think our team has learned a lot from last season,” Carter said. “Limiting errors comes down to mental blocks and consistency.”
The numbers from the end of last season help show what Carter means. In a 3-0 conference tournament loss to St. Vincent's on Oct. 7, the Hornets had 19 kills and 20 attack errors on 82 attempts, finishing with a -.012 hitting percentage. Country Day's season ended eight days later with a 3-0 loss to Providence Christian Academy in the first round of GHSA state playoffs. The Hornets were more productive offensively in that match, recording 33 kills, but they also committed 21 attack errors. Aliotta led Country Day with 16 kills in the loss.
The Hornets will also rely on leadership from returning players as younger players take on bigger roles. Senior captain Layne Helmly said she wants the team to support one another while also holding each other accountable.
“I hope we can come together this year to face challenges while supporting each other, but also to challenge and hold each other accountable for mistakes,” Helmly said.
Coach King also wants her players to continue developing by pushing themselves beyond comfort.
“My goal with our program is to continue to push our athletes beyond the boundaries they're comfortable with,” King said. “The idea is to challenge them, help them grow, and ultimately expand what they believe they're capable of, both individually and as a team.”
With Aliotta and Stubbs returning, the Hornets already know where some of their production will come from. How they replace the production of their graduating seniors, develop players into new roles, and turn last season's experiences into greater consistency will help determine how far SCDS volleyball can go in 2026.
2026 Savannah Country Day School Volleyball Roster
| No. | Player | Class |
| 2 | Olivia Aliotta | 2027 |
| 26 | Sloane Askew | 2029 |
| 20 | Vivienne Carter | 2028 |
| 6 | Tennyson Fitzgerald | 2027 |
| 15 | Lydia Harlander | 2029 |
| 5 | Layne Helmly | 2027 |
| 19 | Emily Grace James | 2028 |
| 13 | Presley Kimball | 2028 |
| 11 | Lily McAtee | 2028 |
| 27 | Anna Nicholson | 2030 |
| 14 | Addie Richardson | 2028 |
| 10 | Addison Stubbs | 2027 |
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Team physicians include Dr. Don Aaron (Bryan County), Dr. David Sedory (Benedictine, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County), Dr. David Palmer (Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham), and Dr. Thomas Alexander (Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent’s Academy).
Photos courtesy of Savannah Country Day School Athletics.
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