Troy University Athletics
Butler Named to Preseason All-Sun Belt Team; Trojans Tabbed Fourth in West Division
8/20/2025 12:00:00 PM | Volleyball
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Senior Amiah Butler has been named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, the conference announced Wednesday.
"I am very excited for Amiah and thankful that the Sun Belt coaches recognized her as one of the top returning players in the conference," head coach Josh Lauer said. "Amiah has worked really hard to be healthy and have a great senior season."
Butler is coming off an impressive 2024 campaign in which she finished second on the team with 275 kills. Her 3.27 kills per set ranked 10th in the Sun Belt, and she also recorded a career-high 129 digs.
She currently ranks fifth in Troy history in kills per set (3.29) and seventh in points per set (3.63). Butler is one of 14 Trojans all-time with more than 1,000 career kills - a milestone she reached in the final regular-season match last year.
"Amiah has also been a strong model for our younger players when it comes to the sacrifice and work required to play at a high level in the Sun Belt," Lauer said. "I'm looking forward to her having her best season yet as a Trojan."
In addition to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, the league announced the results of the annual preseason head coaches' poll. Troy was selected to finish fourth in the West Division, earning 54 points.
"Our team is very excited for the upcoming season, and we know the competitive level of the Sun Belt is going to be extremely high again this year," Lauer said. "There are some great returning players throughout the league, and we are looking forward to that challenge each and every night this fall."
Troy will open the year in Birmingham at the Samford Invitational, taking on Georgia on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 4 p.m. before facing host Samford on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 2 p.m.
2025 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Jalyn Stout, Coastal Carolina (Jr., S, Gainesville, Fla.)
Preseason Setter of the Year
Anna Loberg, South Alabama (RS Sr., S, Geneva, Ill.)
Preseason Libero of the Year
Sunni Sheppard, Southern Miss (Jr., L, Brandon, Miss.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Jalyn Stout, Coastal Carolina (Jr. S, Gainesville, Fla.)
Reagan Barth, Georgia Southern (Jr., OH, Lenexa, Kan.)
Samantha Wunsch, Texas State (RS Jr., OH, Austin, Texas)
Jade Defraeye, Texas State (Sr., MB, Dunkirk, France)
Maya Winterhoff, App State (Sr., MB, Charlottesville, Va.)
Sarah Gooch, South Alabama (Jr., OH, Apopka, Fla.)
Daedrianna Cail, Arkansas State (Sr., MB, Marion, Ark.)
Anna Loberg, South Alabama (RS Sr., S, Geneva, Ill.)
Kaitlin Whitlock, Arkansas State (Jr., OH, San Antonio, Texas)
Amiah Butler, Troy (Sr., OH, Pensacola, Fla.)
Addison Heidemann, App State (RS Sr., S, Diller, Neb.)
Kirsten Barrett, Georgia Southern (Sr., S, Cleveland, Ohio)
2025 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
East Division
1. Georgia Southern (9) – 87
2. James Madison (2) – 77
3. Coastal Carolina (2) – 75
4. App State (1) – 61
5. Georgia State – 44
6. Old Dominion – 27
7. Marshall – 21
West Division
1. Texas State (11) – 95
2. Arkansas State (3) – 81
3. South Alabama – 68
4. Troy – 54
5. Louisiana – 42
6. Southern Miss – 38
7. ULM – 14
Parenthesis indicate first-place votes
