
The Tigers’ first addition of the offseason was a big one
Dawn Sullivan and Mizzou Volleyball wasted no time getting to work this offseason, adding Big West Player of the Year Caylen Alexander from the transfer portal four days after the team’s season ended in the NCAA Tournament.
Alexander took a giant leap forward in 2024 after spending her first two seasons as a secondary option in the Rainbow Wahine attack, recording 611 kills on a .259 hitting percentage. Her 5.09 kills per set ranked fifth in the nation and her 5.64 points per set ranked seventh.
She was also a valuable contributor on defense with 292 digs and 57 total blocks, also recording 30 aces from the service line. The two-time All-Big West honoree and 2022 Big West Freshman of the Year will join the Tigers with one season of eligibility remaining.
Let’s Meet Caylen Alexander
- From: Alpharetta, Georgia
- Prior University: University of Hawaii
- High School: Centennial High School
- Position: Outside Hitter
- Height: 6-0
With the departures of Jordan Iliff and Mychael Vernon, the top two options on offense in 2024, Mizzou had some big shoes (and lots of attacks) to fill. Multi-year starter Janet deMarrais and former five star recruit Claire Morrissey, who took on an expanded role later in the season as a freshman, are early favorites for two of the three main hitter roles.
But the Tigers needed one more starter, ideally someone with proven production and experience. That’s exactly what they’re getting in Alexander, who continues the lineage of senior outside hitters brought in by Sullivan (Dilara Gedikoglu, Mychael Vernon).
Alexander will enter the SEC after playing three years in the Big West, one of the top mid major conferences in collegiate volleyball. The conference had four top 100 RPI teams last season, the best being Alexander’s Hawaii at 34.
She also performed well against the top teams on Hawaii’s schedule in 2024, outside of a letdown performance in the NCAA Tournament against TCU. She had 28 kills, hitting .227, and 11 digs against SMU while hitting .302 with 18 kills and 10 digs against Baylor, both top 16 national seeds in the tournament this year.
Speaking of the tournament, Alexander has three years of NCAA Tournament experience under her belt and advanced to the second round in a 3-1 win over Iowa State in 2023 where she recorded 18 kills.
Alexander has the ability to be this team’s go-to option on offense next season, alongside adding much-needed defensive talent with the loss of Iliff. Both deMarrais and Morrissey are larger question marks on the defensive end than Iliff and Vernon, so finding a hitter who can play all six rotations was absolutely necessary.
Mizzou checked off a lot of boxes with this addition, which will help ease the transition for a dramatically altered (and likely younger) team.
What they’re saying:
Massive portal news for Mizzou VB, landing Big West POTY Caylen Alexander from Hawaii.
Coming off a 600+ kill season with almost 300 digs, Alexander looks to fill offensive holes left behind by graduating SEC First Teamers Mychael Vernon and Jordan Iliff
— Noa Chen (@NoaChen888) December 17, 2024
Official: former #HawaiiWVB outside hitter Caylen Alexander announces via IG that she will spend next season with Missouri.
Big get for Mizzou, who enjoyed a quality season in the SEC before bowing out of the NCAA Tournament in the Sweet 16. pic.twitter.com/q5MjqYwGr8
— Paul Brecht (@12brecht) December 16, 2024
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