Preview | Volleyball Opens Season at LSU Tiger Classic

Calendar

Women's Volleyball

vs Wichita State

Oct 19

1 PM

Houston, Texas

Women's Volleyball

vs UTSA

Oct 24

6 PM

Houston, Texas

Women's Volleyball

vs Tulane

Oct 26

1 PM

Houston, Texas

Women's Volleyball

at East Carolina

Oct 31

5 PM

Greenville, N.C.

Women's Volleyball

at Charlotte

Nov 2

12 PM

Women's Volleyball

vs North Texas

Nov 7

6 PM

Houston, Texas

Women's Volleyball

vs Florida Atlantic

Nov 9

1 PM

Houston, Texas

Match 1 | vs. Houston Cougars | Friday, Aug. 26, 12 p.m. (CT)
Location: Baton Rouge, LA (Maravich Center)
Video Stream: None
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series: Houston leads, 62-21 (Last Meeting: UH Won 3-0, 1/24/21)

Match 2 | vs. Samford Bulldogs | Friday, Aug. 26, 5 p.m.
Location: Baton Rouge, LA (Maravich Center)
Video Stream: None
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series: Rice leads, 2-0 (Last Meeting: Rice Won 3-1, 9/17/10)

Match 3 | at LSU Tigers | Saturday, Aug. 27, 3 p.m.
Location: Baton Rouge, LA (Maravich Center)
Video Stream: SEC Network+
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series: LSU leads, 20-4 (Last Meeting: Rice Won 3-0, 9/10/21)

NOTES

The Owls are 21-21 all-time in season-opening matches.
Rice enters the season receiving votes (50) in the AVCA Preseason Poll.
The Owls are picked to finish second in the Conference USA Preseason Poll behind WKU, receiving two first place votes.
Fifth year seniors Carly Graham (setter) and Anota Adekunle (middle blocker), along with senior right side Ellie Bichelmeyer were all named to the C-USA Preseason Team on Wednesday.
Rice has appeared in the NCAA Tournament four consecutive seasons, the last three of which have come via an at-large bid. Last season the Owls swept San Diego in the opening round of the tournament to advance to the Round of 32 for the second time in the last three seasons.
The Owls are one of only three programs in the state of Texas to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons, joining Texas and Baylor. Additionally, Rice is one of just 21 programs across Division I to reach the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons.
Rice finished last season with an RPI ranking of 23.
Dating back to 2014 the Owls are 92-20 (.821) in Conference USA play, which includes a 47-3 (.940) record the last three seasons. Rice has won 26 consecutive C-USA regular season contests dating back to the 2019 season.
Senior setter Carly Graham ranked 14th in the NCAA in assists per set (11.10) last season and was a big reason why the Owls ranked 5th in the NCAA in both kills per set (14.38). In addition, the Rice offense was 9th in the country in hitting percentage (.287).
Adekunle is Rice's all-time leader in hitting percentage (.407), a mark that ranks fifth in the country among active NCAA Division I players. She enters the season 50 kills away from 1,000 for her career.
Rice returns eight letterwinners and four starters from last season's NCAA Tournament team.
Head Coach Genny Volpe is in her 19th season with the Owls and is the school's all-time leader in total wins (349) and winning percentage (.638). Volpe's next win will be the 350th of her illustrious career.
The Owls will be looking to fill the shoes of graduate outside hitter Nicole Lennon, who finished her career as Rice's all-time leader in kills with 2,144. Lennon was a two-time C-USA Player of the Year and was an AVCA Third Team All-American in the Spring of 2021.

-RiceOwls.com-

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