JONESBORO, Ark. – The Louisiana Tech Volleyball team opens the 2023 season this weekend with three matches at the Arkansas State Invitational.
INVITATIONAL INFORMATION
MATCH 1
Date/Time: Friday, Aug. 25 | 10 a.m.
Location: First National Bank Arena (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Series: First Meeting
MATCH 2
Date/Time: Friday, Aug. 25 | 6 p.m.
Location: First National Bank Arena (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Stream: ESPN+
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Series: Arkansas State leads 1-28
MATCH 3
Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 26 | 12 p.m.
Location: First National Bank Arena (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Series: Little Rock leads 9-19
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amber McCray
"We have an exciting opening weekend of solid competition ahead of us. For our young team, comprised of 12 incoming players, including six freshmen, so much of the weekend and most of the preseason is about getting used to one another and finding our groove. Our returners have done an excellent job of leading, taking ownership of the culture, and doing all they can to prepare this team for success."
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (0-0)
LA Tech, led by fifth-year head coach Amber McCray, has 12 newcomers and five returners from last year's team.
Libero McKenzie Johnson was named to the CUSA preseason all-conference team. Johnson set the school record with 37 digs in a match against Northwestern St. last season, breaking her own record set during her freshman campaign.
Johnson, along with the other returning Bulldogs, Ashley Taylor, Carla Esquer, Jailen Hurley, and Sydney Jackwin, saw action in at least 20 matches last season.
Coach McCray added Bella Borgiotti as an assistant coach. Coach Borgiotti joins the Bulldog staff after a successful stint at Stevenson University, including a 25-6 record and a trip to the Division III NCAA Tournament.
ABOUT NORTH ALABAMA (0-0)
North Alabama is led by second-year head coach Tristan Johnson, who led the Lions to a 13-15 record and 3-13 in the ASUN Conference in his inaugural campaign.
The Lions return five of their six starters from last year, including four of their top five leaders in kills. Anna Katherine Griggs leads the returners with 198 kills and Maggie Sullivan had 166 to finish out last season. Katie Gerig leads defensively with 227 digs a season ago.
North Alabama was picked to finish 10th out of 12 teams in the ASUN preseason poll as voted on by the league's head coaches.
ABOUT ARKANSAS STATE (0-0)
Arkansas State comes into the season led by second-year head coach Brian Gerwig after leading the Red Wolves to a 9-22 record and 2-14 mark in the Sun Belt Conference.
Bailey Helzer and Ilayda Dincer are the leading returners for the Red Wolves who lost three of their top five leaders in kills and their top three leaders in assists. Helzer finished last season with 194 kills, while Dincer finished with 158.
Arkansas State is picked sixth out of seven teams in the Sun Belt Conference West Division. The Red Wolves did receive one first-place vote by the league's head coaches.
ABOUT LITTLE ROCK (0-0)
Little Rock is led by head coach Van Compton, who is in her 36th season at the helm. The Trojans finished last season 7-24 overall and 4-14 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Trojans are led by preseason All-OVC selection Daedrianna Cail. As a true freshman last season she tallied 211 kills and 83 digs.
Little Rock, who finished last season ninth in the conference, was picked to finish in the same position this season.
THE SERIES
LA Tech and North Alabama meet for the first time on the court. Arkansas State leads the all-time series 28-1 with the lone Tech victory coming at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in 1993 at Jonesboro, Ark. Little Rock has a 19-9 series lead on the Bulldogs with the Trojans taking the last three matches.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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