UM Volleyball Opens Season with The Hurricane Invitational
Aug. 28, 2003
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – The University of Miami will kick-off the 2003 season with the annual Hurricane Invitational beginning on Friday, August 29 at the Knights Sports Complex. The Hurricanes will host Indiana, Kent State and Manhattan at the two-day event.
The Hurricanes open the season with Manhattan on Friday, August 29 at 7 p.m. for the first meeting between the two schools.
Manhattan College enters the season as the reigning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Champions. In 2002 the Jaspers posted an overall record of 30-4 to claim their first MAAC Championship. Manhattan returns the 2002 MAAC Player of the Year Goedele Van Cauteren. In 2002 Van Cauteren averaged 4.65 assists and 3.62 kills per game with a .304 hitting percentage.
UM returns on Saturday, August 30 to face Kent State at 12 p.m. and Indiana at 7 p.m. This will mark the first meeting between each of the schools.
The Golden Flashes return five letterwinners and four starters from 2002. In 2002 Kent State posted an overall record of 18-13 and went 11-7 in Mid-American Conference play. Kent State is led by sophomore outside hitter Danielle Holt. A second-team All MAC selection, Holt returns after a stellar freshman season in which she recorded 495 kills and finished second in the conference in kills per game (4.09).
The University of Indiana will bring 10 letterwinners and five returning starters into the Hurricane Invitational. In 2002 the Hoosiers posted an overall record of 20-13. The Hoosiers Melissa Brewer, a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2002, will look to build on a season in which she posted a .313 hitting percentage and 468 kills.
This year marks the third season for the annual Hurricane Invitational, which began in Miami’s inaugural season in 2001. As the host school, Miami has posted a record of 5-1 at the tournament.
In 2001 the Hurricanes hosted Long Island University, Wofford College, and the University of Alabama-Birmingham. UM took two of three matches in 2001, losing to UAB in the final match of the tournament. The Hurricanes would not lose another home match until October 16, 2002.
The Hurricanes played host to Howard University, the University of Oregon, and Fordham in 2002 at the annual event defeating all three teams at the two-day tournament.
The Hurricane Invitational Schedule
Friday, August 29, 2003
4 p.m. – Kent State vs. Indiana
7 p.m. – Manhattan at Miami
Saturday, August 30, 2003
9 a.m. – Indiana vs. Manhattan
12 p.m. – Kent State at Miami
4 p.m. – Manhattan vs. Kent State
7 p.m. – Indiana at Miami.
