As Coastal Carolina volleyball prepares for their upcoming season, their roster features a new face in the back row.
Jonna Spohn, a senior libero transfer from the University of Maryland, has joined the Chanticleers to fuel their back row after the loss of defensive specialist Bailee Earnhardt.
Spohn arrived in Conway with three years of experience in the Big Ten Conference, which is often regarded as one of the most competitive in collegiate volleyball. She notably helped defend the Maryland Terrapins against the Nebraska Huskers, a top five volleyball program in the nation, in 2024. Head coach Steve Loeswick noted this skill level is expected to help rebuild Coastal’s core rotation.
Although she stems from a basketball family, Spohn began her volleyball career in middle school. While initially falling in love with the hitting, she quickly came to adore the fast-paced environment of diving on the court. She shared that the physical demands of back-row defense are what drew her away from basketball to volleyball.
Spohn, ready to lead her new teammates, is willing to use her voice to advocate for strong and fun gameplay.
“I’m definitely wanting to bring a really fun aspect where it’s fun to watch because I’m going for everything and picking up everything,” Spohn said. “But I also want people to see the fun that I have and the smiles that I bring and the connection I have with the girls. I want them to see that I have fun with my team, love the sport and enjoy playing.”
Spohn desires to elevate the energy behind the team, hoping to make the games exciting and fast-paced for the Chanticleer fanbase. Her addition to the team comes at a critical time for the Chants, as they’re navigating the loss of several impact players, like key starters setter Jayln Stout and middle blocker Emily Fowler.
“We have an opportunity to, I don’t want to say to start anew, but to create a new group and give new people voices, and allow these transfers to come in with the things they are going to bring in from other schools, whether that is positive or negative, and allow them to have a role in our group,” Loeswick said. “It’s difficult to lose great players, but we are excited about the opportunity to build this group that is passionate about being here and excited about this opportunity.”
While conditioning with Coastal for under a month, Spohn has already gained strong connections with her teammates.
“She’s going to bring a lot of excitement and love for the game, but I also think that she’s going to bring so much fire and passion to the court because that’s just how she is. And I love that about her,” outsider hitter Anzley Rinard said. “She brings so much passion and love, and it makes me want to play for her and want to play for each other.”
While Coastal’s volleyball program has lost many starting members, they are preparing for this upcoming season and feeling hopeful. With new additions like Spohn, Coastal is focused on finding their new identity with an aim at dominating conference play
