BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor volleyball team opens season hosting the 2015 UMHB Invitational this weekend in Belton. The Cru will play a total of four matches over two days to kick off the year.
UMHB was picked to win the West Division in the American Southwest Conference's Preseason Poll and also received votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Preseason Top 25 Poll for the second consecutive year.
"We have a chance to do some great things this year," Head Coach
Rob Frost said. "Our returners came back in great shape and we added six athletic and talented freshman. We need some time to grow and play together, but I am excited about the direction we are going in."
Frost returns six letter winners from a team that earned 25 wins and won the 2014 ASC Volleyball Championship. UMHB also made the its second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Championships and saw the program's first ranking in the Top 25 poll, climbing as high as 20
th. The Cru will face five opponents listed in the Top 25 poll this season, including Texas foes No. 16 Trinity (Sept. 5, 12:30 p.m., Belton) and Southwestern (Oct. 30, 3:30 p.m., San Antonio).
Cheyenne Dowdey and
Shelby Prather will return for their senior seasons with the Cru. Dowdey, a Hallettsville, Texas (Hallettsville H.S.), native and Third-Team All-ASC selection, led the ASC with 163 blocks last season (51 solo, 112 block assists), averaging 1.47 blocks per set for a second-place national ranking. Prather, a Leander, Texas (Leander H.S.), native, ranked fourth in the ASC with 721 assists, averaging 6.87 assist per set. Prather was also the leading server for the Cru, recording 33 aces on the season en route to a Second-Team All-ASC honor.
Junior
Abby Voskuil and Sophomore
Natasha Evans also return after all-conference seasons a year ago. Voskuil, a native of Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown H.S.), was named the program's first All-American, earning All-West Region team in a season that included 307 kills and 308 digs. Evans, an Edna, Texas (Edna H.S.), native, was named ASC Freshman of the Year and earned a Second-Team All-ASC nod. She totaled 201 kills, 224 assists and 199 digs in her first year with the Cru.
UMHB will open the home tournament on Friday, September 4
th in a 2:30 p.m. match against Whitman College before facing Whitworth University at 6:30 p.m. The Cru will also play a pair of matches Saturday, facing No. 16 Trinity University at 12:30 p.m. and ending the tournament with a 4:30 p.m. match against Willamette University.
