It has been a very busy summer for Dos Palos High alum Alli O’Banion (Class of 2014).
For one thing, the Southern Arkansas University head volleyball coach has undergone a name change. She is now Alli Harrell, having been married recently.
Her husband, Caleb, is a Louisiana native who is an HVAC/Electrical Supervisor in south Arkansas.
“He just fits right in with the O’Banion family,” Alli quipped.
Besides settling into her marriage, Harrell has been busy this summer conducting satellite volleyball camps for middle school and high school athletes, as well elite camps at select locations.
And that is all in anticipation to September 6th, when the third-year coach will lead her Muleriders into the 2024 season.
She is expecting big things from her squad, as they have steadily improved since she was picked to coach at her college alma mater in 2022.
Calling last season “amazing,” SAU set many records and garnered several awards. The team started out ranked No. 10 and finished the season as No. 5.
“We proved a lot of people wrong,” Harrell explained. “We finished 15-14, the first above-.500 record since 2015 and tied the four previous seasons before I became head coach.”
She was selected as the Great American Conference Coach of the Year, had three all-conference members and made it to the conference tournament for the first time since 2015.
The players were also ranked No. 1 in the nation for all of Div. 2 volleyball programs and third overall in women’s athletic programs in the nation for community service/community impact.
The coach said that her players are currently at home but still in training. They will report to school on August 16th to prepare for a scrimmage on August 24th and then their September 6th opener.
Another reason for optimism for this year’s squad is they will be returning 10 seniors, including Kayte Delong, Landry Rogers, and Lauryn Moultrie.
“Our seniors have grown tremendously over the last two seasons,” she explained.
Two of the top newcomers are Sadie Kablach, who played at junior college national champion Cowley College and Californian McKenna Edwards of Santa Clarita.
“We have recruited some great athletes that have come from competitive and winning programs that will be a great addition,” the coach said.
As for the upcoming season, Harrell said that further improvement is expected, or as she said, “We’re going to keep climbing the ladder.”
The returners and newcomers have been working hard over the summer to be ready for the season, she claimed.
“The players have set the bar high and are gunning for a top spot in the GAC,” said Harrell. “We are building strong athletes and even better women within this program. I am so proud to be a part of it and am so excited to see the places we will go together.”
