Volleyball Opens 2016 Season at Illini Classic

Friday, August 26

Champaign, Ill.

5:30 p.m.

Xavier University

Missouri State

Volleyball Opens 2016 Season at Illini Classic

08.25.16 | Volleyball

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Musketeers face Missouri State on Friday night to open tournament action

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball opens the 2016 season at the Illini Classic presented by Hyatt Place on Aug. 26-27. The two-day tournament will played at Huff Hall on the campus of Illinois in Champaign, Ill.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Date and Opponent	Time (CT)	Live Stats	Watch Live
Friday, Aug. 26 vs Missouri State	4:30 p.m.	Live Stats	Watch Live
Saturday, Aug. 27 vs No. 14 Illinois	10 a.m.	Live Stats	Watch Live
Saturday, Aug. 27 vs Arkansas	4:30 p.m.	Live Stats	Watch Live

ABOUT MISSOURI STATE

Match Info: Friday, Aug. 26 – 4:30 p.m. CT – Huff Hall
2015 Record: 24-11, 13-5 Missouri Valley
Postseason: NCAA First Round

Notable:
• Xavier and Missouri State will meet for the first time in school history on Friday night.
• The Bears posted a 24-11 record last year and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time since 2003.
• Missouri State returns 12 letterwinners from a year ago, including five starters and its libero. Lily Johnson, a two-time AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, was tabbed to the All-MVC Preseason Team after leading the Bears in kills (4.59 k/s) a year ago.

ABOUT ILLINOIS

Match Info: Saturday, Aug. 27 – 10 a.m. CT – Huff Hall
2015 Record: 21-13, 10-10 Big Ten
Postseason: NCAA Sweeet 16

Notable:
• Illinois posted a 21-13 overall record in 2015 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 – the program's 23rd NCAA Tournament Appearance.
• The Fighting Illini return their libero and four other starters from a year ago, including Preseason All-Big Ten selection Jordyn Poulter. Illinois was tabbed to finish fifth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll.
• Xavier trails the all-time series with Illinois, 1-0. The Musketeers dropped a 3-0 match on Sept. 5, 1997 at the Illinois Pepsi Classic in Champaign, Ill.
• A win over Illinois would be the Musketeers first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 12 Dayton in four sets on Oct. 19, 2007 at Cintas Center.

ABOUT ARKANSAS

Match Info: Saturday, Aug. 27 – 4:30 p.m. CT – Huff Hall
2015 Record: 17-13, 7-11 SEC
Postseason: None

Notable:
• The series between Xavier and Arkansas is tied, 1-1. The Musketeers defeated he Razorbacks, 3-1, on Sept. 23, 1994 in the first meeting before falling, 3-0, at Arkansas on Sept. 8, 1995.
• The Razorbacks have 11 returners from last season, including preseason All-SEC pick Pilar Victoria. Victoria and senior classmates Breana Jones and libero Okiana Valle were all AVCA All-South Region selections last season.
• Arkansas was picked fifth in the preseason SEC Coaches Poll for the second time in as many years. The Razorbacks posted a 17-13 record last season.

FIRST SERVE

• The Musketeers open the season against Missouri State on Aug. 26 at the Illini Classic in Champaign, Ill. Xavier will also take on host Illinois and Arkansas at the tournament. Three of Xavier's first four opponents participated in the NCAA Tournament a year ago.

• Xavier plays its first 13 matches on the road, with 12 matches played in a tournament. The Musketeers also compete in the Dayton Invitational (Sept. 2-3), the Western Michigan Tournament (Sept. 9-10) and the Stacey Clark Classic (Sept. 16-17) hosted by Purdue.

XU IN SEASON OPENERS

• The Musketeers are 21-12 in season openers since the start of the 1983 season (first year at Division I level). Xavier has won four of its last five season openers, including a 3-0 win over Northern Kentucky last season.

THE SCHEDULE

• Xavier faces eight teams that participated in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, including a Kansas squad that advanced to the Final Four. Fifteen of the Musketeers 22 opponents posted a winning record last year.

• The Musketeers' 22 opponents combined to post a 401-295 record last season with a .576 winning percentage. Xavier's opponents averaged 18 wins per game a year ago.

• Xavier will face teams from seven different conferences this year, including three Big Ten foes and two SEC squads.

• Xavier will face three teams for the first time in program history this fall: Missouri State, Northwestern and Southeastern Louisiana.

ABOUT THE TEAM

• The Musketeers return 13 letterwinners from last season, including three of their top point scorers in Abbey Bessler, Kristen Massa and Sofia Peterson.

• The Musketeers return three All-BIG EAST Performers in Abbey Bessler (1st Team), Kristen Massa (1st Team) and Sofia Peterson (2nd Team). Bessler earned first team honors for the third straight year, while Massa and Peterson both earned the recognition for the first time in their careers.

• Abbey Bessler was also named the BIG EAST Player of the Year in the 2015. She also earned AVCA All-Regional honors for the third time in her career.

• Xavier posted an 18-12 (14-4 BIG EAST) record last season under the direction of first-year head coach Christy Pfeffenberger.

• Xavier has posted a 38-14 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers have advanced to the conference tournament in all three seasons.

PRESEASON POLL

• The Musketeers were picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll as announced by the conference office on Aug. 3. The preseason poll and All-BIG EAST selections were voted on by the conference's 10 head coaches.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST

• Three Musketeers were selected to the All-BIG EAST Preseason Team in Abbey Bessler, Kristen Massa and Sofia Peterson. Xavier and Creighton were the only two teams with three players each on the preseason team.