BOSTON – Suffolk volleyball will be led by the threesome of upperclassmen in seniors Kenzley Bell and Harmony Johnson and junior Emily Wheeler will take on the leadership role as tri-captains for the 2022 campaign, head coach Scott Blanchard announced Monday.
It is the first time since the 2020 COVID campaign and second time that the Suffolk volleyball team will see a group of three student-athletes make-up the leadership contingent in the Blanchard era. Bell and Johnson return to their post after sharing the role as co-captains a year ago, while Wheeler begins her first term.
Bell heads back out on the hardwood of the Larry E. Smith and Michael S. Smith Court after putting an all-league, all-region performance together a year ago. The libero from Lake Park, Georgia, anchored Suffolk's defensive unit in 2021 with 3.90 digs per set.
Johnson, meanwhile, was a crucial cog in Suffolk's 10.19 kills per set offense as the Riverside, California product set-up the attack with a team-high 52.4 assist per set. The setter was her own force at the service line with 44 aces to her credit.
The twosome of Bell and Johnson have a chance to leave their mark in the Rams' record book. Bell enters the year 328 digs shy of the 1,000 mark, a feat accomplished by just two Suffolk student-athletes before her, the last being her teammate Dakhensey Marcellus in 2020. Johnson, meanwhile, is 521 assists away from tying the blue-and-gold's all-time assist record of 1,821 held by Julie Sullivan, who wore a Ram's jersey from 2007-10.
Wheeler averaged 1.25 kills per set in her first true collegiate campaign last year as a sophomore after having her freshman year cancelled due to the global pandemic. A Hampton, New Hampshire native, the outside hitter will factor into Suffolk's success this season as well.
Suffolk will get the 2022 schedule started at the ENC Invitational Labor Day Weekend where the Rams will battle against Wellesley, Eastern Nazarene and Maine Presque Isle. The tournament starts Friday, Sept. 2 against the Blue with outings versus the Lions and Owls on tape for Saturday, Sept. 3.