After a down season in 2014, the Missouri Tiger volleyball team needed to bounce back to really secure them as a team to beat in the SEC.
Then came freshman Alyssa Munlyn.
The middle blocker came in and instantly transformed the Tiger defense, posting 149 total blocks and 124 block assists, both for most in a single season in program history,
She became the main contributor on a defense that posted a program record for team blocks (358.5) and block assists (495), while also finishing the season in the top-10 in the SEC in hitting percentage (.357), posting 147 kills against SEC opponents.
Her outstanding freshman season helped lead the Tigers to a 27-6 overall record and a 14-4 mark for a tie for second in the SEC, as well as an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
She earned an honorable mention for the AVCA All-America Team, was named AVCA All-Southeast Region and made the All-SEC Team while being named SEC Freshman of the Year.
The Tigers would not win fewer than 22 matches with Munlyn on roster.
In her sophomore season, they matched the 27-6 overall record from her freshman year, but improved to 16-2 and an SEC championship. The Tigers went to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010.
Munlyn individually followed up her fantastic freshman year with another impressive campaign, earning AVCA All-American, AVCA Southeast All-Region and All-SEC honors. She finished the year with 153 total blocks, beating her own record set the year before.
Then the Tigers fell back to 22-12 overall and 13-5 for a third-place SEC finish her junior year, but once again made the NCAA Sweet 16, marking the first time the Tigers had made it that far in consecutive years in program history.
She earned the same three honors, AVCA All-American, AVCA All-Southeast Region and All-SEC, for the third consecutive years and was named SEC Defensive Player of the week three times.
Once again, she reset the Missouri individual single-season total blocks record, racking up 189. After three seasons, she already ranked second in Mizzou history in total blocks (491), second in career block assists (400) and fourth in career solo blocks (91). She posted 13 blocks in two matches, tying the Missouri single-match record.
And the success continued her senior season with the Tigers going 24-8 overall and 13-5 for a fourth-place finish in the SEC. Missouri went back to the NCAA Tournament second round, giving the team a 6-4 tournament record with Munlyn on roster.
She became the first player in program history to earn four AVCA All-Amercian awards, while becoming the third Tiger to earn AVCA All-Region accolades four times.
She left the program as the all-time leader in total blocks (634), block assists (516), blocks per set (1.27) and hitting percentage (.388), while ranking second all-time in solo blocks (118).
Stay up to date on all the Mizzou news with your premium subscription.
Talk about this story in the story thread and discuss so much more in The Tiger Walk.
Make sure you're caught up on all the Tiger news and headlines.
