Volleyball Opens 2018 in Sunshine State Challenge
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball program opens its 2018 season on Friday, hosting the 2018 Sunshine State Challenge.
The Hurricanes will play three matches over the two-day tournament, facing FAU on Friday night at 7 p.m., FGCU on Saturday at 11 a.m., and will conclude the tournament against UCF at 7:30 p.m. FGCU and FAU open the tournament at 10 a.m., Friday, followed by UCF and FGCU at 4:30 p.m. FAU and UCF will face off at 1:30 p.m., Saturday in the only non-Miami match of the second day of competition.
Miami kicks off non-conference play after sweeping FIU, 3-0, last weekend in an exhibition match at the Knight Sports Complex.
The Canes return seven players from last season’s roster, including redshirt senior setter Haley Templeton, who garnered Preseason All-ACC team selection for the fourth-straight season. Templeton begins her final season with the Canes with the third-most assists in program history, trailing Jill Robinson for second place by 1,354 assists.
Templeton is joined by junior setter Hannah Sorensen and freshman setter Sophie Walls. Sorensen played in 108 of Miami’s 110 sets a year ago, producing 39 service aces in the 2017 season.
Senior Kolby Bird is the top returning attacker for the Hurricanes, tallying 281 kills last season. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Elizaveta Lukianova recorded 154 kills and has continued to progress over the summer. The talented duo is accompanied by freshman standout Chloe Brown, who was named the Gatorade Oregon Volleyball Player of the Year after recording 369 kills, 257 digs, 48 service aces and 23 blocks in her senior season.
Miami features seven freshmen for the 2018 season, including Brown, Taylor Burrell, Emily Damon, Priscilla Hernandez, Maddie Naumann, Maya Sullivan and Walls.
The Canes also welcome transfer middle blocker Bridget Wallenberger to Coral Gables after competing at Milwaukee for two seasons. She will join Sullivan and Lucia Pampana at middle blocker.
A year ago, the Canes went 3-0 at the 2017 Homewood Suites Sunshine State Classic, defeating the same three teams they will face this weekend as part of their 9-0 start to the season. Head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara is undefeated against the three teams set for this weekend having defeated UCF and FCGU twice and FAU once.
Gandara, who enters the season with a 99-54 all-time record, will become the third Hurricanes head volleyball coach to reach 100 wins with Miami’s first victory of 2018.
FAU enters the 2018 season predicted to finish third in Conference USA and has three Preseason all-conference team players. The Owls finished last season with an 18-9 overall record.
FGCU finished 22-10 last season and has four players on the Atlantic Sun’s Preseason all-conference team. UCF reached the second round of the NCAA Championships last year after a 20-14 season, losing to Georgia 3-0 to end their season.
After this weekend’s action, the Canes will travel to Guaynabo, Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Invitational. The Canes will face Towson on Aug. 31 and Missouri on Sept. 1 in their first trip to Gandara’s native country.
All Hurricanes volleyball home matches are played at the James L. Knight Sports Complex on the University of Miami campus. Admission is free.
The University of Miami – Coral Gables Campus has introduced an updated parking policy for the 2018-19 school year. Enforcement is now extended to seven days a week, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. PayByPhone and additional pay stations are available across all campus parking lots and garages to facilitate visitor parking.
For a complete look at the Hurricanes’ 2018 schedule, click here.
For all the latest information on Miami Hurricanes volleyball, follow the official Twitter feed, @CanesVB, or “Like Us” on Facebook at facebook.com/UMVolleyball. The program is also on Instagram.
