Oak Ridge put together a 27-11 campaign last fall, advancing to the Area Round of the playoffs. With five starters returning, coach Tommie Sledge's squad brings back plenty of firepower and appears poised to take another step forward in 2026.
The offense is led by Rutgers commit Allie Lindsey, who earned second-team all-district honors after recording 253 kills, 146 digs, and 62 blocks last season. East Texas A&M commit Allison Luke also returns after garnering honorable mention all-district recognition. The outside hitter finished with 200 kills and is once again expected to be a key piece of the War Eagles' attack.
In the middle, Oak Ridge welcomes back District 13-6A Blocker of the Year Micah Rusher. The Memphis commit was a force at the net, totaling 133 blocks while adding 147 kills during her junior campaign.
Other players to watch include senior libero Brooklyn McQueary and junior middle blocker Faith Gandy.
According to Sledge, the keys to success this season will be communication, refusing to settle, embracing a "WE > ME" mentality, and consistently building one another up.
