The Long County Lady Blue Tide volleyball team made history in just their fourth season of existence in 2025. The team won a record 14 games while making their first playoff appearance in team history.

Head coach Tyleeah Maddox, who has led the team since its inception, is confident in the team’s chances going into the 2026 season and is sure the team making the playoffs last year will only give them the ability to do more.

“It gives our program the confidence that we can play in the postseason,” Maddox said. “It also shows them what they’re capable of when they actually commit to our process. We started out not knowing much about volleyball, but they came in and now we are continuing to build on that.”

Playing in the postseason is huge for the Lady Tide, but Maddox just wants the girls to focus on playing their game and competing each night on the court.

“Our expectation is going to be focusing on competing in every single match and raising our standards,” she said. “Going higher, going harder…just taking another step forward with our program.”

Despite the state playoff appearance in 2025, the team still had room for improvement. The team won 14 games but lost 15 and finished as the number 24 seed in the state playoffs, matching up with number nine seed Stephenson in the first round.

Maddox looks at one of the biggest challenges this being the number of games they have to play. Thirty is the minimum number needed to be eligible for the state playoffs now. Having those games “back-to-back-to-back” will be a big hurdle.

She also believes that youth is going to be the biggest challenge for the team. Coming with that is the team’s motto for 2026: “Consistency”

“Our keyword for this year is consistency, so we are working on getting our younger players into the program, to learn the rotation and minimalize unforced errors and focus on communication,” Maddox said.

Maddox noted that senior setter Kerry Ann Carrillo and outside hitter Ilyahna Wilson as two players who should make a big impact for the team.

“(Wilson’s) defense is very strong,” Maddox said. “Those balls that we might shank and most people think they might not get it, I know without a shadow of a doubt she's going to be able to run over there and pop it back up and now we made a play out of an unwanted shank ball.”

Overall, Maddox said that the team is focused on their keyword of consistency and wants to give the team a chance to be in every game they play.

So far in the early stages of the season, they have done just that. The team is 3-1 after wins over Toombs County, Brantley County and Liberty County before falling to Bradwell Institute.

The team takes on Effingham County and St. Vincent’s Academy Monday, August 10.