2022 Carolina Volleyball Preview: The Newcomers

CHAPEL HILL – We're just 39 days from the start of the Carolina volleyball season! The Tar Heels kick off the 2022 season on the road at Colorado State on Aug. 26 in Fort Collins. The 19-person roster will report to Chapel Hill on August 5 for the official start to preseason.

In the meantime, we will take a look at the 2022 team, starting with the newcomers.

This year's roster includes eight new faces:

Charley Niego, a graduate transfer outside hitter from Notre Dame, who will wear No. 5
Sadie Swift, a freshman middle hitter from Austin, Texas, who will wear No. 7
Anita Babic, a freshman setter from Phoenix, Ariz., who will wear No. 12
Ava Swain, an early enrollee freshman outside hitter from Odessa, Fla., who will wear No. 16
Liv Mogridge, a freshman middle hitter from Lutz, Fla., who will wear No. 18
Maddy May, a freshman libero/defensive specialist from Winterville, N.C., who will wear No. 25
Ella Bostic, a freshman setter from Carmel, Ind., who will wear No. 34
Cadence Shea, a freshman outside/right side hitter from Westlake Ohio, who will wear No. 36

Carolina's 2021 signing class was ranked No. 8 in the country by PrepVolleyball.com.

The Indiana Connection
This season will be the second time sophomore Mabrey Shaffmaster and freshman Ella Bostic have been teammates. The two played club together for Munciana Volleyball, the same club that produced former Tar Heel Nia Parker-Robinson.

Athletic Pedigree
Five of the new Tar Heels come from families with distinguished athletic backgrounds.

Charley Niego:

Mother, Therese, was an All-America outside hitter at the University of the Pacific from 1982-85, leading the Tigers to Pacific Athletics' first national championship in 1985
Father, Charlie, played basketball at Lewis University from 1982-1986

Liv Mogridge

Mogridge is the daughter of two Carolina alumni. Her father, Allen, was a four-year letter winner on the Carolina football team from 1996-1999. He is currently the offensive line coach/assistant head coach for the University of South Florida football team

Ava Swain

Father, David, played football at the University of Florida from 1990-1994 and was an All-SEC and four-time SEC champion center and guard for the Gators

Ella Bostic

Sister, Bonnie, currently plays volleyball at Yale
Both her father, Brad, and grandfather, Dan Grossman, played football at Indiana University
Uncle, Rex Grossman, was an All-American football player at the University of Florida and was named the 2001 AP Collegiate Football Player of the Year and SEC Player of the Year
Grandfather, Sid Bostic, played basketball at South Dakota State, hitting the game-winning shot in the NCAA DII 1963 National Championship game

Cadence Shea

Father, Aaron, was a four-year letter winner on the University of Michigan football team from 1995-1999, before playing in the NFL from 2000-2007
Mother, Caitlin, was a four-year letter winner on the Lehigh University soccer team from 1996-1999

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University of North Carolina Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Anita Babic

Ella Bostic

Maddy May

Liv Mogridge

Charley Niego

Mabrey Shaffmaster

Cadence Shea

Ava Swain

Sadie Swift

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