Preview | No. 23 Volleyball Opens 2023 Season against Southern Miss and No. 22 USC

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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

Women's Volleyball

at Wichita State

Nov 14

7 PM

Wichita, Kan.

Match 1 | No. 23 Rice Owls vs. Southern Miss | Friday, Aug. 25, 6 p.m.
Location: Houston, Texas (Tudor Fieldhouse)
Video Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: Sidearm
Tickets: RiceOwls.com
Series: Rice leads, 20-7 Last Meeting: Rice won, 3-1 (10/23/21)

Match 2 | No. 23 Rice Owls vs. No. 22 USC Trojans | Saturday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m.
Location: Houston, Texas (Tudor Fieldhouse)
Video Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: Sidearm
Tickets: RiceOwls.com
Series: USC leads, 1-0 Last Meeting: USC won, 3-1 (9/10/16)

SETTING THE SCENE
The No. 23 Owls open the 2023 campaign at home against former Conference USA foe Southern Miss on Friday at 6 p.m.

The following night, Rice welcomes 22^nd-ranked USC to Tudor Fieldhouse at 6 p.m. in a battle of ranked foes.

RICE NOTES

For just the second time in school history, the Owls enter the season ranked in the AVCA/Taraflex Preseason Poll, coming in at No. 23. Rice was also ranked 23rd prior to the 2021 season.
Rice is 22-21 all-time in season opening matches, but have won four of its last five.
The Owls were picked to finish second in the West Division of the American Athletic Conference Preseason Poll behind SMU, receiving six first place votes.
Graduate student Emilia Weske (right side) and seniors Danyle Courtley (outside hitter), Nia McCardell (libero) and Sahara Maruska (outside hitter) were all named to the American Preseason Team.
Dating back to 2014 the Owls are 105-21 (.833) in conference play, which includes a 62-4 (.939) record the last five seasons. Rice is 39-1 in conference regular season contests dating back to the 2019 season.
The Owls are 13-11 against Power 5 schools dating back to 2019 and have recorded four Top-25 victories during that stretch.
Rice has appeared in the NCAA Tournament in five consecutive seasons. Last season the Owls defeated Colorado in the opening round of the tournament to advance to the Round of 32 for the third time in the last four 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 five seasons, joining Texas and Baylor. Additionally, Rice is one of just 18 programs across Division I to reach the NCAA Tournament in each of the last five seasons.
Rice returned nine letterwinners and four starters from last season's NCAA Tournament team.
Head Coach Genny Volpe is in her 20th season with the Owls and is the school's all-time leader in total wins (376) and winning percentage (.654).
The Owls will be looking to fill the shoes of a pair of All-Americans. Outside hitter Anota Adekunle, finished her career as Rice's all-time leader in hitting percentage (.408) and setter Carly Graham was a three-time Conference USA Setter of the Year.

-RiceOwls.com-

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