After a historic run of success, the Morgan County volleyball team enters the 2026 season with a new leader – but the same championship expectations.
Ryan Sarrett takes over as head coach of the Spike Dogs following a coaching transition that saw Alan Shultz move back to lead the middle school program.
Despite the change, Sarrett believes the program is in a strong position thanks to the culture and standard that has been built over the past several seasons.
“I was actually in line to take over last year, but I guess the coaching changes happened late, and I was already coaching a few of our players in travel ball,” Sarrett said. “Coach Alan and I are longtime friends and used to coach together. We just thought it would be a good idea for us to switch.”
The transition allowed both coaches to step into roles that made sense. Sarrett spent last season coaching middle school volleyball, while Shultz took over the varsity program and guided the team to another state championship with players he had coached since they were young.
Now, Sarrett returns to the varsity level looking to continue the success of a program that has won three state championships in four years.
Morgan County graduated several key contributors from last year’s championship team, including a senior class that helped establish the program as one of the best in the state. This season’s roster may be younger, but Sarrett said he believes the experience within the group will help the Spike Dogs to remain competitive.
The team features just two seniors in Hailey Floyd and Hollis Boyer, but both bring years of experience and leadership to the court.
“They’ve been a part of the program for several years and contributed,” Sarrett said. “It’s going to be nice to have small senior leadership, but it’s going to be impactful. They both excel in their positions.”
Morgan County will also rely on junior setter Graycen Cawthon, who returns healthy after dealing with injuries last season. Sophomores Miley Stewart and other young contributors are expected to play important roles after stepping up during last year’s postseason run.
Defensively, Brayden Burke gives the Spike Dogs a versatile piece who can impact the game in multiple ways.
“She’s such a versatile player,” Sarrett said. “She’s been libero, outside; she does whatever we need her to do.”
While the roster may lack the same senior-heavy makeup as previous championship teams, Sarrett believes the experience level remains high.
Many of Morgan County’s players compete year-round at a high level through travel volleyball, giving them the preparation needed for another challenging season. The Spike Dogs also face a new challenge this season after moving up to Class 3A and entering a much tougher region.
Morgan County’s new region features several established programs, including teams that finished near the top of the state rankings a year ago.
“We know this is going to be a new landscape,” Sarrett said. “There are several schools that were ranked in the top 20 at the end of the year that are going to be in our region now.”
The new region will include strong competition from programs such as Hebron Christian Academy, which finished as the state runner-up last season, along with Hart County and Franklin County.
The increased competition means Morgan County will have to battle throughout region play to earn favorable postseason positioning.
“We’re actually going to have to fight for a good seeding,” Sarrett said. “We’re going to be competitive. We’re going to have to work really hard in our region now.”
Sarrett has embraced the challenge by putting together a demanding schedule that includes matchups against some of the state’s top programs, including Brookwood, Buford, and Jefferson.
For the new coach, the focus is not simply on wins and losses, but on preparing his team for the challenges ahead.
“Our motto we’ve taken on this year is earned daily,” Sarrett said. “We’re not going to take anything for granted. We know we’re young. We know we’re stepping up, playing bigger schools, but we understand the expectations of what that means.”
Sarrett expressed confidence in the Spike Dogs being ready for the challenge.
“Things may look different on the front side,” he said. “I just want to make sure we’re learning, and we’re growing and preparing them for what will probably be a much tougher road than years past.”