CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Coming off a season in which the team made a national postseason tournament appearance, the Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team will begin the 2024 campaign on Friday at the Boston College Invitational.
 
The Colonels will start the season against Texas Tech on Friday at 12 p.m.  EKU will face Iona on Friday at 5 p.m.  The weekend concludes on Saturday against host Boston College at 12 p.m. on the ACC Network Extra.  All matches will be played at the Margot Connell Recreation Center.
 
THE COLONELS
-  Last fall, EKU went 21-9 overall and placed third in the Atlantic Sun Conference with an 11-5 mark.  The Colonels earned a spot in the 2023 National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
 
-  Five of six starters, and the libero, return from last season's team.  The only starter not returning is setter Chloe Mason.  Sophomore Emilee Hill split setting duties with Mason last season, finishing with 516 assists.
 
-  Josie Schmitendorf was chosen by league head coaches as the ASUN Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.  Sarah Mitchell and Schmitendorf were selected to the 8-member Preseason All-ASUN Team.
 
-  EKU was picked by conference head coaches to finish third in the ASUN this season.
 
-  The returning starters includes three fifth-year seniors (Mitchell, Schmitendorf and Kambree Lucas), one fourth-year senior (Paige Wagers) and two juniors (Carson Ledford and AG Vandagriff).  Mitchell, Schmitendorf, Ledford and Vandagriff were second team All-ASUN selections in 2023.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
-  Texas Tech went 11-19 overall and 4-14 in the Big 12 last season.  Brynn Williams, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, was second on the team with 312 kills in 2023.  
 
-  Iona finished 15-16 in 2023 with a 10-8 mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).  Kenzie Wiggins, a 5-foot-10 senior outside hitter, returns after leading the team with 402 kills and 3.44 kills per set a year ago. 
 
-  Boston College had a 19-13 record last year and went 8-10 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Julia Haggerty, a 6-foot-2 senior middle blocker, led the team and ranked second in the ACC in 2023 with 159 total blocks.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  EKU and Texas Tech met three times between 1985 and 1990.  The Red Raiders are 3-0 in the series. 
 
-  The Colonels are 1-0 all-time against Iona.  EKU earned a 3-0 victory on Sept. 17, 2016 in Loretto, Pennsylvania. 
 
-  This will be the first meeting between EKU and Boston College.