Xavier University Athletics

Volleyball Returns to Cintas Center for Home Opener and 2023 Xavier Tournament
09.07.23 | Volleyball
CINCINNATI - Xavier volleyball returns home after two weeks on the road for the 2023 Xavier Tournament and the program's home opener against Buffalo on Friday, Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m.
The Musketeers will face Buffalo, Bellarmine and Missouri in the four team tournament. Buffalo concluded the 2022 season in the first round of the 2022 NIVC Tournament while Missouri and Bellarmine's year ended with the regular season. Missouri and Buffalo will open tournament play on Friday, Sept. 8 at 10 a.m.
SEPTEMBER 8
Game 1: Missouri vs. Buffalo - 10 a.m. ET
Game 2: Missouri vs. Bellarmine - 4:30 p.m. ET
Game 3: Xavier vs. Buffalo - 6:30 p.m. ET
Live Stats - bit.ly/XUHomeStats
Watch - bit.ly/45HDjX9
SEPTEMBER 9
Game 4: Bellarmine vs. Buffalo - 10 a.m. ET
Game 5: Xavier vs. Missouri - 12 p.m. ET
Live Stats - bit.ly/XUHomeStats
Watch - bit.ly/3Rhqpe9
Game 6: Xavier vs. Bellarmine - 7 p.m. ET
Live Stats - bit.ly/XUHomeStats
Watch - bit.ly/486Jd5O
2023 Record: 6-0 (0-0 MAC)
2022 Record: 19-14 (10-8 MAC)
2022 Postseason: NIVC Tournament First Round
Series History: 3-0
Last Meeting: Aug. 27, 2022; Xavier win 3-2
Head Coach: Scott Smith (5th)
2023 Record: 5-1 (0-0 SEC)
2022 Record: 9-19 (2-16 SEC)
2022 Postseason: N/A
Series History: 1-3
Last Meeting: Aug. 31, 2018; Missouri win 3-0
Head Coach: Dawn Sullivan (1st)
2023 Record: 2-4 (0-0 ASUN)
2022 Record: 10-18 (4-12 ASUN)
2022 Postseason: N/A
Series History: 10-4
Last Meeting: Jan. 30. 2021; Xavier win 3-1
Head Coach: Rick Nold (2nd)
• Emma Grace was tabbed to the Aug. 28 BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for her performance in the Cincinnati Tournament where the outside hitter accumulated 46 kills, 26 digs, four service aces, and a .389 hitting percentage across 11 sets.
• The Musketeers faced Purdue Fort Wayne in an exhibition match on Aug. 19 in Fort Wayne.
• Xavier will play 11 nonconference matches between four tournaments, with five games at home and six on the road. The Musketeers participate in two road tournaments, the Cincinnati Tournament and the Colorado Tournament, then return home to host two tournaments in the Cintas Center.
• The Musketeers swept the opening weekend of play in the Cincinnati Tournament with wins over Indiana State, rival Cincinnati, and first time opponent Alabama State.
• Xavier opens the home slate of nonconference games on Sept. 8 with Buffalo at 6:30 pm.
• The Musketeers will face foes from 11 different conferences in the 2023 schedule (BIG EAST, MAC, The Valley, SWAC, Pac-12, Big Sky, Big XII, AAC, SEC, ASUN, Horizon League), meeting Alabama State, Northern Colorado, and Kennesaw State for the first time in program history.
• Xavier opens BIG EAST action at Butler on Sept. 20 at 6 pm and is set to close the regular season at Creighton on Nov. 17 at 7 pm.
• The Musketeers will face four teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last season including Northern Colorado, Colorado, Marquette, and Creighton. Xavier also takes on Buffalo, St. John's and Alabama State, who each participated in the 2022 NIVC Tournament. Of the 21 opponents the Musketeers will face, 10 saw action in their respective conference tournament.
• The Musketeers were picked to finish third in the league as voted on the 2023 BIG EAST Preseason Poll by the coaches. Both Carrigan O'Reilly and Brooklyn Cink were tabbed to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. O'Reilly earned the selection for the third consecutive season.
• In 2022, the Musketeers achieved a 21-12 (11-7 BIG EAST) record, a trip to the BIG EAST Conference Tournament, and a postseason bid to the NIVC where they advanced to the quarterfinals but ended the season in a five set match with Boston College. The Musketeers are looking towards another successful season.
• Xavier returns 11 letterwinners, three of who were tabbed to the 2022 All-BIG EAST Team - Carrigan O'Reilly, Brooklyn Cink, and Delaney Hogan.
• To cap off the 2023 roster, the Musketeers added six freshman - Jamison Gordon, Elouise Czajkowski, Quinci Thomas, Kasey Quenichet, Margo Kemp, and Annie Eschenbach.
• The 2023 roster consists of two graduate students, four seniors, four juniors, one sophomore, and six freshmen.
• Following the conclusion of the 2022 regular season, Head Coach Christy Pfeffenberger and her staff were named the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year. Returning this year alongside Pfeffenberger is Associate Head Coach Ed Tolentino for his eighth season and Assistant Coach Andre Foster for his second.
• In July, Coach Pfeffenberger announced the hiring of former student-athlete, Angel Robinson, as the program's new graduate assistant. As an athlete at Xavier, Robinson accumulated 155 kills, 61 block assists, 11 block solos, and 199.5 points.
Xavier will face Buffalo for the program's home opener on Friday, Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in Cintas Center.
The Musketeers will face Buffalo, Bellarmine and Missouri in the four team tournament. Buffalo concluded the 2022 season in the first round of the 2022 NIVC Tournament while Missouri and Bellarmine's year ended with the regular season. Missouri and Buffalo will open tournament play on Friday, Sept. 8 at 10 a.m.
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TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE |
SEPTEMBER 8
Game 1: Missouri vs. Buffalo - 10 a.m. ET
Game 2: Missouri vs. Bellarmine - 4:30 p.m. ET
Game 3: Xavier vs. Buffalo - 6:30 p.m. ET
Live Stats - bit.ly/XUHomeStats
Watch - bit.ly/45HDjX9
SEPTEMBER 9
Game 4: Bellarmine vs. Buffalo - 10 a.m. ET
Game 5: Xavier vs. Missouri - 12 p.m. ET
Live Stats - bit.ly/XUHomeStats
Watch - bit.ly/3Rhqpe9
Game 6: Xavier vs. Bellarmine - 7 p.m. ET
Live Stats - bit.ly/XUHomeStats
Watch - bit.ly/486Jd5O
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ABOUT BUFFALO |

2022 Record: 19-14 (10-8 MAC)
2022 Postseason: NIVC Tournament First Round
Series History: 3-0
Last Meeting: Aug. 27, 2022; Xavier win 3-2
Head Coach: Scott Smith (5th)
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ABOUT MISSOURI |

2022 Record: 9-19 (2-16 SEC)
2022 Postseason: N/A
Series History: 1-3
Last Meeting: Aug. 31, 2018; Missouri win 3-0
Head Coach: Dawn Sullivan (1st)
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ABOUT BELLARMINE |

2022 Record: 10-18 (4-12 ASUN)
2022 Postseason: N/A
Series History: 10-4
Last Meeting: Jan. 30. 2021; Xavier win 3-1
Head Coach: Rick Nold (2nd)
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WEEKLY AWARDS |
• Emma Grace was tabbed to the Aug. 28 BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for her performance in the Cincinnati Tournament where the outside hitter accumulated 46 kills, 26 digs, four service aces, and a .389 hitting percentage across 11 sets.
![]() |
SCHEDULE NOTES |
• The Musketeers faced Purdue Fort Wayne in an exhibition match on Aug. 19 in Fort Wayne.
• Xavier will play 11 nonconference matches between four tournaments, with five games at home and six on the road. The Musketeers participate in two road tournaments, the Cincinnati Tournament and the Colorado Tournament, then return home to host two tournaments in the Cintas Center.
• The Musketeers swept the opening weekend of play in the Cincinnati Tournament with wins over Indiana State, rival Cincinnati, and first time opponent Alabama State.
• Xavier opens the home slate of nonconference games on Sept. 8 with Buffalo at 6:30 pm.
• The Musketeers will face foes from 11 different conferences in the 2023 schedule (BIG EAST, MAC, The Valley, SWAC, Pac-12, Big Sky, Big XII, AAC, SEC, ASUN, Horizon League), meeting Alabama State, Northern Colorado, and Kennesaw State for the first time in program history.
• Xavier opens BIG EAST action at Butler on Sept. 20 at 6 pm and is set to close the regular season at Creighton on Nov. 17 at 7 pm.
• The Musketeers will face four teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last season including Northern Colorado, Colorado, Marquette, and Creighton. Xavier also takes on Buffalo, St. John's and Alabama State, who each participated in the 2022 NIVC Tournament. Of the 21 opponents the Musketeers will face, 10 saw action in their respective conference tournament.
![]() |
ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS |
• The Musketeers were picked to finish third in the league as voted on the 2023 BIG EAST Preseason Poll by the coaches. Both Carrigan O'Reilly and Brooklyn Cink were tabbed to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. O'Reilly earned the selection for the third consecutive season.
• In 2022, the Musketeers achieved a 21-12 (11-7 BIG EAST) record, a trip to the BIG EAST Conference Tournament, and a postseason bid to the NIVC where they advanced to the quarterfinals but ended the season in a five set match with Boston College. The Musketeers are looking towards another successful season.
• Xavier returns 11 letterwinners, three of who were tabbed to the 2022 All-BIG EAST Team - Carrigan O'Reilly, Brooklyn Cink, and Delaney Hogan.
• To cap off the 2023 roster, the Musketeers added six freshman - Jamison Gordon, Elouise Czajkowski, Quinci Thomas, Kasey Quenichet, Margo Kemp, and Annie Eschenbach.
• The 2023 roster consists of two graduate students, four seniors, four juniors, one sophomore, and six freshmen.
• Following the conclusion of the 2022 regular season, Head Coach Christy Pfeffenberger and her staff were named the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year. Returning this year alongside Pfeffenberger is Associate Head Coach Ed Tolentino for his eighth season and Assistant Coach Andre Foster for his second.
• In July, Coach Pfeffenberger announced the hiring of former student-athlete, Angel Robinson, as the program's new graduate assistant. As an athlete at Xavier, Robinson accumulated 155 kills, 61 block assists, 11 block solos, and 199.5 points.
![]() |
UP NEXT |
Xavier will face Buffalo for the program's home opener on Friday, Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in Cintas Center.
Players Mentioned
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