In 2026, the Madison-Ridgeland Academy Lady Patriots began their campaign with the same ambitious goal: another state championship. Although they lost eight key seniors from the 2025 title team, the Lady Patriots opened the season with a 4-0 record. Their performance showed they are ready to continue their historic back-to-back championship streak from the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
A roster in transition
The core of the 2025 team featured standout players like Selah Sandridge, Kiera Hariel, and Alyssa Dampier. With these leaders now graduated, the team has had to undergo a youth-driven rebuild. Coach Ross Dorr, however, is confident in the team's ability to handle the challenge, drawing on the mental strength developed through their recent successes.
Among the returning players are Emerson Dorr, a 6-foot senior outside hitter who has committed to Southern Miss, and Ella Eatherly, the only other player to return from the 2024 and 2025 championship teams. Supporting them are newcomers like junior opposite hitter Laila Fulcher and sophomore setter Lily Ford. Also part of the squad is 5-11 eighth-grader Ayanna Dampier, the younger sister of the now-graduated Alyssa Dampier.
Chasing history in Jackson Prep
An early-season test for the Lady Patriots comes Tuesday night when they face Jackson Prep. This match will bring MRA up against a familiar face in the form of new head coach Elizabeth Sandridge. She is a former assistant at MRA and the mother of Selah Sandridge, one of the graduating stars who played a big role in the team's recent success.
Coach Ross Dorr expressed his confidence in the team, stating, “We always expect to be in the championship game. This year is no different.” Emerson Dorr added her voice to this determination, noting, “We have to earn the title again. We are building a great team every match.”
The title target remains
The Lady Patriots are focused on making it to the 2026 MAIS Championship game. With most of the team made up of underclassmen, there is a strong emphasis on developing for the future. However, the players are fully engaged in the moment, working to build their chemistry and aiming to continue their impressive run.
If the Lady Patriots continue along their current path, they will aim to end the season in Clinton, hoping to secure a third straight title. A three-set sweep would place them in an elite group within MAIS history. Their ambitions remain clear: to maintain their dominance and etch their names among the sport’s most successful programs.
