Friday, August 28
Lexington, Ky.
2 p.m.
University of South Florida
vs
Eastern Kentucky
Photo by: Emmy McCarthy / University of South Florida Athletics
South Florida Volleyball: A New Season, Their Own Path
August 27, 2026 | Women's Volleyball
As the 2026 season begins, Ryelle Rondo and Samiyah Abdur-Rahim bring their own talents, athleticism, and family legacies to a South Florida program ready to reach new heights.
Joey Johnston/Athletics Senior Writer
TAMPA, Fla. (August 27, 2026) – Ryelle Rondo and Samiyah Abdur-Rahim bring exceptional skills to the University of South Florida volleyball program, and their talents speak for themselves.
Rondo, a University of Alabama transfer, is a 5-foot-7 libero, a defensive position that demands hustle, effort, leadership, and, usually, plenty of floor burns. Rondo brings a 5-foot-7 frame, longer limbs and elite athleticism, so there's plenty to like.
Abdur-Rahim, a TCU transfer who played for the Bulls last season, is a 6-foot-2 outside hitter with jaw-dropping athletic skills. In vertical-jumping tests, Abdur-Rahim reached 10 feet, 7 inches — South Florida's best and the best result Jolene Shepardson ever recalled as a head coach. By improving ball control, Shepardson said Abdur-Rahim has become a more complete player.
"We're super excited to have them both," said Shepardson, who begins her seventh season at South Florida on Friday when the Bulls face Eastern Kentucky in the Bluegrass Battle in Lexington, Ky. "Two different kinds of players, but they have one big thing in common."
Both their fathers played in the NBA.
Rondo's father, Rajon, was a two-time NBA champion and a 17-year veteran, and he was also one of the league's top playmakers and defensive players.
Abdur-Rahim's father, Shareef, was the third pick in the 1996 draft, a 12-year NBA veteran and a 2000 Olympic gold medalist. Additionally, she's the niece of the late Amir Abdur-Rahim, the beloved former men's basketball coach for the Bulls.
Despite the family ties, basketball was never really part of the plans for Rondo and Abdur-Rahim.
"I tried basketball, but it just wasn't for me," Rondo said. "When I say my name (Rondo) and someone recognizes it, they usually ask, 'Oh, do you play basketball, too?' I guess that's the expectation. But I feel like I've established my own identity, and that's through volleyball."
"I tried basketball, too," Abdur-Rahim said. "I tried a lot of sports, but I didn't want to do two at once. I landed on volleyball because I loved it, and I haven't looked back."
Why volleyball?
"The team aspect is everything to me," Abdur-Rahim said. "It's so competitive and fast-paced, similar to basketball in some ways. But there's a lot going on at once, which I like. Just the rhythm, the noise, the intensity, the passing, the teamwork … I just never wanted to stop playing volleyball."
"I actually have a couple of friends whose fathers were in the NBA, and they both chose volleyball, too," Rondo said. "They are both aggressive sports. Basketball is more physical, and I don't feel like I have enough composure for that. Volleyball is a different kind of aggression. Half of my job is to hype everybody up. You can't have a kill without a pass. So, working together and having that spirit on the court, I think I really connect with those aspects."
Rondo and Abdur-Rahim will be part of a South Florida program on an upward trajectory. The Bulls have gone 58-35 over the past three seasons, including an American Conference regular-season championship and
the program's first NCAA Tournament bid since 2002.
Maria Clara Andrade, a two-time conference Player of the Year, has departed. However, Shepardson recruited a fleet of talented newcomers, including freshman outside hitters Paula Tomasa and Mora Pampin (both from Argentina) and sophomore setter Nina Jioshvili-Ravva (a Hofstra transfer from France). The Bulls also return senior outside hitter Laila Ivey, a preseason all-conference selection, and senior middle blocker Iyanna Garvin.
Accordingly, Shepardson has put together one of the most ambitious schedules in South Florida volleyball history. Nine of the first 11 opponents played in last season's NCAA Tournament, including national runner-up Kentucky and perennial powers Penn State and Stanford.
"We have big dreams we're going to work toward because we've risen to the top 50 (nationally), but we only want to go higher," Shepardson said. "We want to play the highest-level opponents who will not only challenge us but also increase our ranking."
"We looked at playing programs ranked higher than us. That was the mentality. This team is not going to be intimidated or afraid. I believe that with the players we have in our program now, they're going to be excited and will rise to that challenge.''
Rondo said she's happy to be part of it.
"I wanted a school with a great culture," Rondo said. "I wanted to play for coaches who prioritize development because I want to improve. We definitely have some great teams on our schedule. I've been welcomed here with open arms, and I feel like I hit the bullseye."
Abdur-Rahim said she also feels at home.
"My uncle (Amir) coached here, and that was a big part of it," Abdur-Rahim said. "It was a special thing for my family. When I met Coach Jolene and all the girls during my visit, it definitely felt like the place I wanted to be."
"When people hear my last name (Abdur-Rahim), they definitely pause because it's very distinct and it's associated with my uncle. People can connect me to him. That's something I take great pride in, knowing there's that connection, knowing he did so many great things at South Florida, and knowing I can represent my team with all of that in mind."
Follow South Florida Volleyball
For the latest updates from South Florida Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow the Bulls on X / Instagram / Facebook
Get your tickets today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.
About South Florida Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her seventh season at the helm of her alma mater in 2026. Named head coach on January 8, 2020, as a player she helped lead the Bulls to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. As head coach, she led the Bulls back to the NCAA Tournament in 2025 for the first time since she was a player in 2002 and guided USF to the 2024 AAC regular-season championship, earning her first Coach of the Year Honor. In 2023, the Bulls won the American Conference East Division, made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, and advanced to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history.
South Florida Volleyball has won nine Player of the Year honors, most recently with Maria Clara Andrade winning American Conference honors in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025. The Bulls have also earned four Setter of the Year honors, most recently with Caroline Dykes being recognized in 2024.
South Florida volleyball has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and won 13 conference titles since the program's inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), located adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus in Tampa.
Rondo, a University of Alabama transfer, is a 5-foot-7 libero, a defensive position that demands hustle, effort, leadership, and, usually, plenty of floor burns. Rondo brings a 5-foot-7 frame, longer limbs and elite athleticism, so there's plenty to like.
Abdur-Rahim, a TCU transfer who played for the Bulls last season, is a 6-foot-2 outside hitter with jaw-dropping athletic skills. In vertical-jumping tests, Abdur-Rahim reached 10 feet, 7 inches — South Florida's best and the best result Jolene Shepardson ever recalled as a head coach. By improving ball control, Shepardson said Abdur-Rahim has become a more complete player.
"We're super excited to have them both," said Shepardson, who begins her seventh season at South Florida on Friday when the Bulls face Eastern Kentucky in the Bluegrass Battle in Lexington, Ky. "Two different kinds of players, but they have one big thing in common."
Both their fathers played in the NBA.
Rondo's father, Rajon, was a two-time NBA champion and a 17-year veteran, and he was also one of the league's top playmakers and defensive players.
Abdur-Rahim's father, Shareef, was the third pick in the 1996 draft, a 12-year NBA veteran and a 2000 Olympic gold medalist. Additionally, she's the niece of the late Amir Abdur-Rahim, the beloved former men's basketball coach for the Bulls.
Despite the family ties, basketball was never really part of the plans for Rondo and Abdur-Rahim.
"I tried basketball, but it just wasn't for me," Rondo said. "When I say my name (Rondo) and someone recognizes it, they usually ask, 'Oh, do you play basketball, too?' I guess that's the expectation. But I feel like I've established my own identity, and that's through volleyball."
"I tried basketball, too," Abdur-Rahim said. "I tried a lot of sports, but I didn't want to do two at once. I landed on volleyball because I loved it, and I haven't looked back."
Why volleyball?
"The team aspect is everything to me," Abdur-Rahim said. "It's so competitive and fast-paced, similar to basketball in some ways. But there's a lot going on at once, which I like. Just the rhythm, the noise, the intensity, the passing, the teamwork … I just never wanted to stop playing volleyball."
"I actually have a couple of friends whose fathers were in the NBA, and they both chose volleyball, too," Rondo said. "They are both aggressive sports. Basketball is more physical, and I don't feel like I have enough composure for that. Volleyball is a different kind of aggression. Half of my job is to hype everybody up. You can't have a kill without a pass. So, working together and having that spirit on the court, I think I really connect with those aspects."
Rondo and Abdur-Rahim will be part of a South Florida program on an upward trajectory. The Bulls have gone 58-35 over the past three seasons, including an American Conference regular-season championship and
the program's first NCAA Tournament bid since 2002.
Maria Clara Andrade, a two-time conference Player of the Year, has departed. However, Shepardson recruited a fleet of talented newcomers, including freshman outside hitters Paula Tomasa and Mora Pampin (both from Argentina) and sophomore setter Nina Jioshvili-Ravva (a Hofstra transfer from France). The Bulls also return senior outside hitter Laila Ivey, a preseason all-conference selection, and senior middle blocker Iyanna Garvin.
Accordingly, Shepardson has put together one of the most ambitious schedules in South Florida volleyball history. Nine of the first 11 opponents played in last season's NCAA Tournament, including national runner-up Kentucky and perennial powers Penn State and Stanford.
"We have big dreams we're going to work toward because we've risen to the top 50 (nationally), but we only want to go higher," Shepardson said. "We want to play the highest-level opponents who will not only challenge us but also increase our ranking."
"We looked at playing programs ranked higher than us. That was the mentality. This team is not going to be intimidated or afraid. I believe that with the players we have in our program now, they're going to be excited and will rise to that challenge.''
Rondo said she's happy to be part of it.
"I wanted a school with a great culture," Rondo said. "I wanted to play for coaches who prioritize development because I want to improve. We definitely have some great teams on our schedule. I've been welcomed here with open arms, and I feel like I hit the bullseye."
Abdur-Rahim said she also feels at home.
"My uncle (Amir) coached here, and that was a big part of it," Abdur-Rahim said. "It was a special thing for my family. When I met Coach Jolene and all the girls during my visit, it definitely felt like the place I wanted to be."
"When people hear my last name (Abdur-Rahim), they definitely pause because it's very distinct and it's associated with my uncle. People can connect me to him. That's something I take great pride in, knowing there's that connection, knowing he did so many great things at South Florida, and knowing I can represent my team with all of that in mind."
Follow South Florida Volleyball
For the latest updates from South Florida Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow the Bulls on X / Instagram / Facebook
Get your tickets today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.
About South Florida Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her seventh season at the helm of her alma mater in 2026. Named head coach on January 8, 2020, as a player she helped lead the Bulls to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. As head coach, she led the Bulls back to the NCAA Tournament in 2025 for the first time since she was a player in 2002 and guided USF to the 2024 AAC regular-season championship, earning her first Coach of the Year Honor. In 2023, the Bulls won the American Conference East Division, made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, and advanced to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history.
South Florida Volleyball has won nine Player of the Year honors, most recently with Maria Clara Andrade winning American Conference honors in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025. The Bulls have also earned four Setter of the Year honors, most recently with Caroline Dykes being recognized in 2024.
South Florida volleyball has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and won 13 conference titles since the program's inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), located adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus in Tampa.
Joey Johnston
Athletics Senior Writer
Players Mentioned
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