- Head coach Hal Clifton is one win shy of becoming the A&T volleyball program's all-time winningest coach.
- Clifton went 62-148 in his first eight seasons in Greensboro, NC, then 100-98 in his next eight in the Gate City.
- Luca Radnai's seven aces on Saturday are the most by an Aggie since Chiara Napoli recorded seven in a 3-0 A&T win over Hampton on Sept. 24, 2023.
- Tyne Ross recorded her 10th career double-double with her 10-kill, 13-dig performance on Saturday.
GREENVILLE, SC –North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University volleyball coach Hal Clifton did not win the first set of his head coaching career at A&T until 16 matches had gone by.
It took him 20 matches to get his first win. Over time, through seasons with only six players on the roster and two wins, the former high school head volleyball coach methodically built a program that produced players of the year, rookies of the year, multiple players with 1,000 kills in their careers, and the program's only conference tournament championship and NCAA appearance.
He is a two-time conference coach of the year and is now tied for the most coaching wins in program history after the Aggies defeated tournament host Furman in four sets Saturday afternoon (25-19, 21-25, 25-18, 25-13) at Timmons Arena on the final day. Clifton matched Kathy Bullock with 162 wins as A&T's head coach.
He could break the record as early as next week when the Aggies host three matches over three days at Corbett Sports Center, starting with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) Thursday at 6 p.m. The journey from the bottom of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) standings to a MEAC league title and now a contender for a Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) crown has been rewarding.
Early this season, the Aggies have proven their mettle by improving to 4-2 with a win over Furman. Their total also includes victories over Appalachian State, Bryant, and Queens University of Charlotte. The win over App State marked the first time the Aggies defeated the Mountaineers in 10 previous tries. Saturday's victory over the Paladins marked the Aggies' first over that program in five previous tries. It added to the number of firsts the program has experienced in Clifton's 16-season tenure.
"This was a big win today for the team," said Clifton. "I'm really happy for the players and what they did today. Furman is a good team and well coached, but it was a solid win. I was happy to see how we were able to rebound from yesterday's loss. Having to play back-to-back in conference is tough, so we have to be able to forget the night before – good or bad – and focus on the task at hand."
After losing to Presbyterian College in four sets on Friday, the Aggies took control of the first set on Saturday midway through as
Mikala Sampson's kill gave A&T an 18-13 lead. That lead extended to six when junior
Luca Radnai's service ace gave the Aggies set point at 24-18. Sophomore
Nicole Ellis ended the set and gave the Aggies a 1-0 lead with a kill.
The Paladins recovered to win the second set to tie the match before the Aggies ignited in the third set, led by junior
Tyne Ross. Ross recorded five kills and five digs in the set and posted a .556 hitting percentage. Sophomore
Zariah Winton and junior
Agata Zwierzynska added four kills apiece as the Aggies hit .344 for the set.
A&T went on a 6-2 run to take command at 19-12 before Winton ended the set with a kill, pushing the Aggies' lead to 2-1 in the match. In the fourth set, the Aggies used an 11-2 spurt to take a 21-11 lead. A ball-handling error gave the Aggies set and match point at 24-13. Winton gave Clifton his historic win with a kill.
Zwierzynska led A&T with 13 kills. Ross and Winton recorded double-doubles. Winton had 11 kills and a career-high 12 digs, while Ross finished with 10 kills, 13 digs, and two blocks.
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