The Statesboro volleyball team is coming off another successful season, advancing to the state Elite-8, and are already working this summer to put in the work to get back to the state playoffs. 

One of the players coach Bob Massee is counting on for the upcoming season is senior libero Demia Hartwell. 

“I have been around volleyball all my life,” Hartwell said. “My mother played volleyball at Georgia Southern and she coached volleyball at Langston Chapel Middle School. My sister also played so I was always playing it. I enjoy the competitive atmosphere during the game. 

"I feel my role on the team is to bring comfort on the court. As a defensive player I try and bring a calmness to my teammates. I feel we all trust each other to do our jobs and roles for the team to be successful.” 

“Demia has started since her freshman year for us,” Massee said. “Her leadership, determination and athleticism are her biggest strengths. She is a phenomenal volleyball player and that is why we use her at libero. 

"She is so versatile we can plug her into any position and know she is going to do her job. Having her on the floor is like having another coach on the floor.”