Wes Sponcil, father of Olympic champion Sarah Sponcil, takes a close look at the players attending his clinic at Veritas Prep Academy. The school’s volleyball program is one of the strongest in Arizona and this session would be one of the first steps at identifying the next big players for the program. Wes Sponcil would know; his daughter was key to winning three national titles for Veritas.
Enter 12-year-old Tatum Longnecker, who mainly played soccer in sixth grade. Longnecker surprised everyone by being able to hit an overhand serve; a feat made possible thanks to a background in tennis.
Wes Sponcil told Longnecker’s parents “You’ve got a volleyball player on your hands,” and encouraged them to pursue the sport. Tatum Longnecker never looked back.
A standout player for Arcadia High School, Longnecker set the school record for career assists and led her squad to the state championship last year. After much deliberation, she made her commitment to Mizzou in late November. The Missouri Tigers would make a drastic change a few days later, releasing their entire coaching and support staff.
Despite being recruited by the previous coaching regime at the University of Missouri, Tatum Longnecker was not fazed by the staff change and kept her commitment to the university.
“No, not at all,” said Longnecker when asked if previous Head Coach Joshua Taylor’s departure affected her decision. “Playing in the SEC would be amazing. I just really wanted to play at a high-level DI school.”
Missouri Volleyball finished its 2022 season with a disappointing 9-19 record, winning only two games in the SEC. About half of the previous roster has entered the transfer portal, including both of the team’s setters: Riley Buckley and Addison Lyon.
“We’ll see how it goes,” said Longnecker when asked about potentially being a starter in her freshman year. “[Coach Sullivan] put me on the roster as a libero and setter so maybe I could work in defensively this upcoming year, and then progressively going with setting.”
At 5 feet 7 inches, Tatum Longnecker would be one of the shortest setters in the SEC. However, she believes in her all-around athleticism to play at her best and is willing to play wherever the coaching staff needs her to be for the Missouri Tigers.
Tatum isn’t the first of her family to arrive in Columbia. Her mom and aunts have been alums for over 30 years and her great-grandfather was a walk-on for Mizzou basketball in 1957.
“I’m thrilled. I’m so happy that she’s going to my alma mater, my home state,” said Tatum’s mom, Tricia. “I thought she’d end up on the West Coast for sure. Missouri was out of nowhere. It was such a surprise.”
When watching Tatum Longnecker play, fans and opposition alike take notice of her abilities. Olivia Rubin and Sharlot Walther, a sand duo for Scottsdale Preparatory Academy, spoke highly of her feel for the game.
“Tatum’s communication skills with her partner ultimately led to her win against us,” said Rubin. “It is easy to see that she has a high volleyball IQ and takes a leadership role on the court.”
A tough challenge awaits Longnecker and the Missouri Tigers in 2023. After finishing last in the SEC in 2022, the team enters a new era under Dawn Sullivan, who has brought in lots of new faces for the program.
“It’s a whole new team. I feel like we are going to be better than they were in the past and I’m very excited to see what comes out of it,” said Longnecker.
Tatum is set to arrive in Columbia and start training with the team in early June.