Musketeers Open 2021 Fall Season at Charlotte Invitational

Friday, August 27

Charlotte, N.C.

10 a.m.

Xavier University

South Carolina State

Musketeers Open 2021 Fall Season at Charlotte Invitational

08.25.21 | Volleyball

Live Stats (All Matches)Watch Live (Charlotte Match)

Xavier opens the season on Friday, Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. vs South Carolina State

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier volleyball opens the fall 2021 season at the Charlotte Invitational on Aug. 27-28. The Musketeers open tournament action vs South Carolina State on Friday at 10 a.m.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (0-0) vs SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BULLDOGS (0-0)
Match Info - Friday, August 27 - 10 a.m. ET - Halton Arena (9,105)
Live Stats - bit.ly/3koMdSK

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (0-0) at CHARLOTTE 49ERS (0-0)
Match Info - Friday, August 27 - 6 p.m. ET - Halton Arena (9,105)
Live Stats - bit.ly/3koMdSK
Watch Live ($) - bit.ly/2UMBglm

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (0-0) vs COLORADO BUFFALOES (0-0)
Match Info - Saturday, August 28 - 1 p.m. ET - Halton Arena (9,105)
Live Stats - bit.ly/3koMdSK

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE

2021 (Fall) Record: 0-0
2021 (Spring) Record: 0-8 (0-0 MEAC)
Series History: Xavier leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: Xavier 3, South Carolina State 0 (Aug. 24, 2012 - Clemson, S.C.)

NOTABLES
• Xavier has won both meetings between the two schools. The Musketeers won the last match between the two teams, 3-0, on Aug. 24, 2012 at the Big Orange Bash in Clemson, S.C. It was also the season opener for Xavier.
• The Bulldogs are 1-63 since 2018 and are looking for their first win since a 3-0 victory over Savannah State on Friday, Sept. 28.
• Dawn Barnes is in her first season as head coach. She was previously the head coach at Malcolm X Junior College (NJCAA Division I).

ABOUT CHARLOTTE

2021 (Fall) Record: 0-0
2021 (Spring) Record: 13-5 (9-3 C-USA)
Series History: Xavier leads, 12-2
Last Meeting: Xavier 3, Charlotte 0 (Nov. 4, 2012 - Charlotte, N.C.)

NOTABLES
• Xavier holds a 12-2 advantage in the series history vs the 49ers.
• Charlotte was picked to finish second (east division) in the Preseason C-USA Coaches' Poll. The 49ers posted a 13-5 overall record in the spring 2021 season with a 9-3 mark in conference action. The .750 winning percentage in conference play is the highest winning percentage in program history (conference only matches).
• Emani Foster was named to the preseason all-conference team after a standout spring season. The outside hitter was name the C-USA Freshman of the Year, while also picking up AVCA All-South Region honors.

ABOUT COLORADO

2021 (Fall) Record: 0-0
2021 (Spring) Record: 8-12 (8-12 Pac-12)
Series History: Xavier trails, 1-0
Last Meeting: Colorado 3, Xavier 1 (Sept. 15, 2017 - Fort Collins, Colo.)

NOTABLES
• Colorado won the only meeting between the two schools, 3-1, on Sept. 15, 2017 at the Colorado State Tournament in Fort Collins, Colo.
• The Buffaloes were picked ninth in the Preseason Pac-12 Coaches Poll after posting an 8-12 record during the spring (all Pac-12 matches).
• Colorado returns three all-conference performers from the spring in Sterling Parker, Leah Clayton and Meegan Hart.
• Hart also earned AVCA Pacific South All-Region honors. She led the team in blocks (64), while also posting 118 kills and a .301 hitting percentage.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST HONORS

• Junior Carrigan O'Reilly was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team on Aug. 8.

• O'Reilly ranked second in the BIG EAST in assists per set (10.69) last season, while ranking 30th in the NCAA. The All-BIG EAST performer recorded 631 total assists to rank 73rd in the NCAA. She added 69 kills, seven aces, 146 digs and 29 blocks.

• The Westerville, Ohio, native also earned AVCA All-East Region Honorable Mention Team honors.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier will play 11 non-conference matches and compete in three tournaments. The Musketeers open the season at the Charlotte Tournament on Aug. 27-28, taking on South Carolina State, Charlotte and Colorado. Xavier also travels to the Loyola Tournament on Sept. 3-4, taking on SIUE, Eastern Kentucky and Loyola.

• The Musketeers host the Xavier Tournament on Sept. 10-11. Three of the four teams competing in the tournament participated in the NCAA Tournament last spring: Louisville, Purdue and Lipscomb. Purdue finished the year ranked No. 7 in the AVCA Top-25 Poll, while Louisville ranked 11th.

• Xavier takes on crosstown rival Cincinnati on Sept. 16 at Fifth Third Arena. The two teams split the two-match series last year with the road team winning each match.

• The Musketeers take on teams from 10 different conferences during non-conference action (MEAC, C-USA, Pac-12, OVC, A-SUN, MVC, Big 10, MAC, AAC, A-10). Xavier will face one new opponent for the first time in program history in SIUE.

• Xavier opens its 18-match BIG EAST schedule on Friday, Sept. 24 vs Providence. The Musketeers play four of their first six BIG EAST matches at Cintas Center.

• Xavier closes its BIG EAST schedule with back-to-back road matches at UConn (Nov. 19) and Butler (Nov. 21).

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• The Musketeers posted a 7-7 (3-3 BIG EAST) record during the COVID-19 shortened spring 2021 season. Xavier had wins over rival Cincinnati, Big 12 member Kansas and AVCA Top-50 team UIC.

• Xavier returns AVCA All-East Region Team member, Carrigan O'Reilly. The junior setter picked up honorable mention team honors, becoming the first Musketeer to earn the honors since Sofia Peterson and Abbey Bessler in 2016.

• O'Reilly also earned All-BIG EAST honors. She averaged 10.71 assists per set, ranking second in the BIG EAST and 28th in the NCAA. She added 69 kills, 29 blocks, 146 digs and seven aces. The Westerville, Ohio, native had seven double-doubles and one triple-double.

• The Musketeers also return All-BIG EAST honoree and BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Delaney Hogan. She was the first Musketeer to earn "Freshman of the Year" honors since Aubree Smith picked up the accolades in 2011 (Atlantic-10 Conference). She was also the first Xavier player to earn a major award from the BIG EAST since Abbey Bessler in 2015 (BIG EAST Player of the Year).

• Hogan led the BIG EAST in hitting percentage this season (.356), while ranking 100th in the NCAA. The middle blocker also led the Musketeers in total kills (131) and total blocks (45) this season. She averaged 2.38 k/s and 0.82 b/s and had 10 or more kills in eight matches.

• Xavier only graduated one player in Lauren Hanlon. All told, the Musketeers return 13 letterwinners and welcome four newcomers to the roster.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST HONOREES

Preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year
Efrosini Alexakou, St. John's, Sr., OH

Preseason All-BIG EAST
(listed alphabetically by institution, then last name)

Melody Davidson, Butler, R-Sr., MB
Caylee Parker, Connecticut, Sr., OH
Naomi Hickman, Creighton, Sr., MB
Jaela Zimmerman, Creighton, Sr., OH^
Savannah Rennie, Marquette, Gr., MB^
Taylor Wolf, Marquette, Gr., RS/S^
Allison Barber, Providence, Gr., S
Efrosini Alexakou, St. John's, Sr., OH^
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's, Sr., RS
Tsvetelina Ilieva, Seton Hall, So. OH
Averi Salvador, Villanova, Gr., L/DS
Carrigan O'Reilly, Xavier, Jr., S/RS

^ denotes unanimous selection

PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

1.	Creighton (8)	97 pts.
2.	Marquette (3)	93
3.	St. John's	83
4.	Xavier	68
5.	Villanova	56
t-6.	UConn	48
t-6.	DePaul	48
8.	Providence	44
9.	Butler	31
10.	Seton Hall	27
11.	Georgetown	10