Blake Cherry

Bio

2023 (Junior): Only played in two matches, sidelined with an early-season injury. Both matches were during the season-opening tournament hosted by Trevecca Nazarene from Sept. 1-2. 

2022 (Sophomore): Earned third-team All-SAC laurels posting eight double-doubles and nine contests with at least 10 smashes... Was one of four players to play in all 33 matches for the season leading the conference with 52 aces, a mark that was good for 44th in the nation while ranking eighth in the SAC with 365 digs... Notched 14 kills adding 14 digs for her first double-double of 2022 in a five-set affair at Trevecca Nazarene on Aug. 26... Recorded 15 kills hitting .323 in a comeback victory at Tusculum on Aug. 30 adding 14 digs... In a sweep of UVA Wise on Sept. 17, Cherry tallied a career-high four aces... Notched her fourth double-double of the year with 11 kills and 13 digs in a four-set win against Lenoir-Rhyne on Oct. 7... Notched 12 kills and 12 digs in a win over Tusculum on Oct. 18...Reset her career high with 17 kills hitting .400 with 10 digs in a sweep of Georgia College on Oct. 22... In a five-set win over Mars Hill on Oct. 25, she reset her career high with 28 digs to lead the team adding 10 kills and four block assists.

2021 (Freshman): In her first year of collegiate volleyball, Cherry displayed versatility as a six-rotation outside hitter. The Cookeville, Tenn. native is the 10th player in Mossy History lineage to be named an all-freshman selection joining Hayden Barton (Hixson, Tenn.) from last season as the active players on the roster to earn the award. Four of the first nine have later became a first- or second-team All-SAC pick so far. Cherry stuffed the stat sheet this year with 1.72 kills per set, 3.21 digs per set, 29 service aces and 26 total blocks. The outside hitter registered seven double-digit kills matches producing a season-high 11 in the second match of her career on a .346 hitting percentage at USC Aiken on Sept. 3. It is one of three occasions where she put down 11 balls. The rookie's greatest asset has proved to be her defense with 19 efforts of double-digit digs including 14 of the last 17 leading the team in the area in four contests. Cherry logged a career-high 25 digs against Mars Hill on Oct. 12, one of the three times she crested 20 scoops in a match. With six double-doubles on the year, she ranked third on the roster producing the first of her career with 10 kills and 14 digs against Converse on Sept. 4. With 379 total digs for the year, Cherry is ninth in the league in the category as one of three Eagles to rank inside of the top 15. Her 762 total attacks places her inside of the top 10 joining Lenoir-Rhyne's Taylor Prall as the only two players in the conference to rank in the top 10 in the league in both areas. The 379 digs are the most by a Carson-Newman true freshman since Taylor Lowe, who is third on the program's career list, racked up 473 as a rookie in 2013. Led C-N with 11 kills on a .346 hitting percentage adding three assists at USC Aiken on Spet. 3, the second match of her career... Piled up her first-career double-double with 10 kills and 14 digs against Converse on Sept. 4... Totaled a season-high 19 digs in a four-set win over Catawba on Sept. 10... Racked up 20 digs adding 11 kills for her fourth double-double of the season in a win at Coker on Oct. 8... In a five-set affair versus Mars Hill on Oct. 12, reset her season high with 25 digs.

HIGH SCHOOL: Cherry was a three-time all-district pick including a first-team pick as a senior when she was the team captain. In 2020, Cookeville won 29 matches with Cherry picking up all-district tournament and all-region tournament first-team laurels. She was top 10 in the state with 356 kills as a senior, good for 3.40 kills per set, adding a .361 hitting clip, 60 aces, 35 blocks and 288 digs. Against Siegel and Rhea County, she racked up a season-high 21 smashes. In 2019, she was a first-team all-district and all-region torunament team pick posting 321 kills with 37 blocks, 95 aces and 312 digs. In her final three years in school, Cookeville finished fifth in the AAA state tournament.

PERSONAL: Her dad, Brooks Cherry, played baseball at Freed Hardeman. Her sister, Blair, is also on the C-N volleyball team.