Oilers to Open Season at Hampton Inn Invitational
The University of Findlay volleyball team will begin their season on Sep. 1-3 at the Hampton Inn Invitational in Pensacola, Fla. The event will be hosted by the University of West Florida.
The Oilers, who are ranked 26th in the nation, will start off by playing 9th-ranked Central Missouri on Sep. 1. They will then face 23rd-ranked West Florida and 2nd-ranked Wheeling Jesuit on Sep. 2 before closing the tournament against Carson-Newman, who is ranked 32nd in the nation, on Sep. 3.
Hampton Inn Invitational Schedule
Live Stats/Video
Live stats will be available for all matches. Live Video will be available for the Oilers game against West Florida on Sep. 2 at 12:30 p.m.
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Findlay
The Oilers finished last season with a 26-9 record. They won their second-straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) South Division title and reached the GLIAC Tournament Championship. The Oilers also qualified for the NCAA Division II National Tournament, reaching the round of 32.
The Oilers will be led by senior outside hitter Hannah Tong, who has earned All-American accolades in each of the past two seasons. She ranks ninth all-time at Findlay with 1,083 career kills and led the GLIAC with 509 last year. She has had a highly decorated career for the Oilers and was voted the GLIAC Attacker of the Year in 2014.
Sophomore setter Hailee Olson will return after being named the NCAA Division II Freshman of the Year. Olson, who was a NCAA Division II All-American last season, recorded 1,523 assists for the Oilers in 2015.
Junior Nickyla Garverick is also back after earned second team all-conference honors one season ago. Garverick led the team with 104 total blocks last year and hit .379. She was named a NCAA Division II All-American in 2014 and also picked up GLIAC Blocker of the Year and GLIAC Freshman of the Year honors during her red-shirt season.
#9 Central Missouri
The Jennies finished last season with a 30-5 record. This year they will be led by senior Maddie Jones, who was a NCAA Division II All-American last year. Jones finished the 2015 campaign with 362 kills and 67 blocks.
Senior setter Kourtney Thompson will also return after being named second team all-conference in 2015. Thompson led the Jennies with 1,315 assists and also logged 262 digs as a junior.
#23 West Florida
The Argonauts finished the 2015 campaign with a 28-7 record. Senior middle Kathryn Torre returns to lead the team after picking up NCAA Division II All-American honors last year. Torre led the team in blocks with 119 and also recorded 249 kills.
Senior libero Tori Martella is back to lead the defense after pacing the squad with 572 digs last year en route to first team all-conference accolades.
#2 Wheeling Jesuit
The Cardinals went 39-4 last year on their way to winning a NCAA Division II National Championship. They will be led by senior setter Andrea Thobe, who earned NCAA Division II All-American accolades last season. Thobe earned her All-American honor by recording 1,696 assists and 392 digs.
Senior middle Haley Kindall is also back after being named a NCAA Division II All-American in each of the past two seasons. Kindall had 365 kills and 126 blocks last year for the Cardinals.
#32 Carson-Newman
The Eagles finished the 2015 campaign with a 29-8 record and will be led by senior setter Anna Patton, who led the squad with 1,430 assists. She also recorded 41 aces and 361 digs.
Sophomore middle Natalie Harris is also back after earning South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2015. Harris earned the accolade by recording 321 kills and 97 blocks.
Links
AVCA/NCAA Division II National Poll
GLIAC