Volleyball Opens 2021 Spring Season at Bellarmine

Saturday, January 30

Louisville, Ky.

1 p.m.

Xavier University

Bellarmine

Volleyball Opens 2021 Spring Season at Bellarmine

01.29.21 | Volleyball

Watch Live Live Stats

First serve is slated for 1 p.m. on Saturday

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier volleyball opens the 2021 spring season at Bellarmine on Saturday, Jan. 30. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. from Knights Hall.

THE MATCHUP AT BELLARMINE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (0-0) at BELLARMINE KNIGHTS (1-1)
Game Info - Saturday, Jan. 30 - 1 p.m. ET - Knights Hall (2,196)
Live Video - bit.ly/2MGr7lB
Live Stats - bit.ly/2Ypm0cn

ABOUT BELLARMINE

2021 Record: 1-1
2019 Record: 20-11 (10-5 GLVC)
Series History: Xavier leads, 9-4
Last Meeting: Xavier 3, Bellarmine 2 (Sept. 5, 1989 - Louisville, Ky.)

NOTABLES
• The Knights are off to a 1-1 start in their first season as a NCAA Division I member (ASUN Conference). Bellarmine previously competed at the NCAA Division II level as a member of the GLVC.
• Bellarmine picked up its first NCAA Division I in its first match, defeating Mercer, 3-0, on Jan. 24. The Knights other match was a 3-0 loss at Western Kentucky. Saturday's match vs the Musketeers will serve as the Knights home opener.
• The Knights are led by former Xavier standout, Jenni (Horvath) Grzebin, who graduated in 2008. She was a member of Xavier's 2007 NCAA Tournament team and helped the Musketeers compile an 83-45 mark during her four-year career. She has a 120-93 overall record in eight seasons as the Bellarmine head coach.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier leads the all-time series with Bellarmine, 9-4. The Musketeers won the last last meeting between the two schools, 3-2, on Sept. 5, 1989 in Louisville, Ky.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Volleyball will play divisionally with five teams in the East (Connecticut, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova) and five teams in the Midwest (Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Marquette and Xavier). League play will start on Friday, Feb. 19. Each team is scheduled to play divisional opponents twice, with both games scheduled at one location on the same weekend. The championship is scheduled for April 2 and 3, hosted by Creighton. The Championship will pit the top two teams in the East and Midwest against each other.

• Xavier's opponents combined to post a 148-70 (.679) overall record in 2019. Four of the Musketeers opponents advanced to the 2019 NCAA Tournament: Cincinnati (Sweet 16), Creighton (Round of 32), Marquette (Round of 32) and Dayton (First Round).

PRESEASON BIG EAST

• Lauren Hanlon was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Volleyball Team on Wednesday. The Woodstock, Ill., native led the team in kills per set (2.50) and total kills (255) during the 2019 season. She was also named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team in 2019.

• Hanlon ranked third among BIG EAST freshmen in 2019 in kills per set, while ranking 15th overall. She added 65 blocks, 47 digs and four service aces.

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• Xavier returns 10 letterwinners from last season, including its top seven leaders in kills and blocks. The Musketeers lost its leader in total digs (426), Madi Kutruff, due to graduation.

• The Musketeers return its leader in assists, sophomore Carrigan O'Reilly. The setter averaged 6.03 a/s in conference only matches, leading all BIG EAST freshmen in the category and ranking eighth overall.

• Jayda Carlton returns after leading the BIG EAST in blocks (1.23 b/s), while ranking 51st in the NCAA. The junior middle blocker also led the team in hitting percentage (.266), while ranking 11th in the BIG EAST.

• Ellie Chaffee had a breakout season in 2019, posting 93 total blocks - ranking ninth in the BIG EAST. The junior middle blocker averaged 0.97 b/s in BIG EAST matches, ranking sixth overall.

• Xavier also returns two of its top three leaders in digs: sophomores Alyssa Overbeck and MaryAnn O'Toole. O'Toole ranked second among BIG EAST freshmen in digs in 2019, averaging 3.46 d/s. Overbeck ranked 12th (2.94 d/s) in the BIG EAST in the category.

• Xavier led the BIG EAST in blocks (2.31 b/s) in 2019, while ranking third in digs (15.37 d/s). The Musketeers ranked 74th in the NCAA in blocks per set.

• Xavier added three newcomers to the roster in Stevie Wolf, Hunter Fry and Delaney Hogan.

PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

EAST DIVISION
1. St. John's (4) - 16 pts.
2. Villanova (1) - 13
3. UConn - 8
4. Seton Hall - 7
5. Providence - 6

MIDWEST DIVISION
1. Creighton (3) - 15 pts.
2. Marquette (2) - 14
3. DePaul - 8
4. Xavier - 7
5. Butler - 6

First-place votes in ()

UP NEXT

• Xavier returns to action on Sunday, Jan. 31 vs Marshall. First serve is slated for 3 p.m. at Cintas Center.

COACH PFEFFENBERGER INTERVIEW