Following a milestone victory over the University of Alabama, the University of North Alabama (UNA) volleyball team is gearing up for the start of its conference season. Head Coach Tristan Johnson delved into the team’s recent successes, challenges, and upcoming goals.
UNA secured a historic win against the University of Alabama, marking the first time since 1975 that UNA defeated the SEC team in a regular-season match.
“It’s been 49 years since we last beat Alabama, and this is something the players will remember for the rest of their lives,” Coach Tristan said. “It’s a testament to our players’ growth and their ability to win in different ways.”
The victory came after a hard-fought match in Tuscaloosa, where UNA managed to outlast their opponents in three competitive sets. Johnson said that each set of the match had its unique challenges, from maintaining an early lead to rallying from behind.
Tristan attributed much of the team’s development to the infusion of new talent, with half of the squad being new to the team this year, including eight freshmen and one transfer. With so many new players, he said that the season’s first few weeks have been about learning and adjustment.
“We’ve been trying to figure out what lineup works best. We’ve got players still learning how to play alongside each other,” he said. “We learned a lot about ourselves. We made errors, but we worked through them.”
The team has faced growing pains, particularly in recent games against Arkansas State and UAB, but Coach Tristan sees those challenges as part of the process.
Reflecting on last weekend’s tournament, Tristan emphasized the importance of learning from setbacks. After a tough loss to Arkansas State, where the team missed 17 serves, they focused on fine-tuning those details in practice. Although they faced another defeat to UAB, Tristan said the lessons learned from that match were instrumental in shaping the team’s response against Alabama.
Now, the focus shifts to the Atlantic Sun Conference, which kicks off with UNA’s first game against Central Arkansas. Tristan explained that their conference schedule starts a week earlier than most teams due to logistical reasons.
“Central Arkansas is five hours away, so it made sense to play them now, rather than miss more classes later in the semester,” he said.
With the momentum of the Alabama victory behind them, Coach Tristan and his team are approaching the conference season with renewed confidence and determination.
“The goal isn’t just to win,” he said, “but to be consistent in how we play and approach each game.”
As UNA gears up for its conference opener, the team is eager to continue building on their recent success.
“Winning is hard, but it’s fun,” Tristan said. “And for a team this young to experience it early on is going to pay dividends in the long run.”
UNA fans can catch the team in action again when they return home for matches against Eastern Kentucky and Bellarmine.
