AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn volleyball gets away from the Plains for the first time in 2019, traveling to Coral Gables, Fla., for the Hurricane Invitational hosted by Miami. The three-day tournament is slated for Sept. 6-8 at the Knight Complex.
The Tigers open with a 4 p.m. CT match Friday against Florida Gulf Coast before matching up with South Florida at 10 a.m. CT Saturday. The Tigers face off with George Washington at 10 a.m. CT Sunday to conclude the weekend.
QUICK HITS
- Auburn opened the season hosting the annual War Eagle Invitational, which saw the Tigers go 1-2 on the weekend, including a five-set victory over Butler.
- Juniors Chesney McClellan and Payton White were named to the all-tournament team for their efforts. McClellan set a career high with 14 kills against Tennessee State, while White set a program match record with 37 digs against Butler.
- Senior Enija Bidzane led the Tigers with 39 kills on opening weekend.
- Sophomores Marissa Hines and Tatum Shipes both finished with a double-double in the match against Butler.
- The Tigers finished with 13 aces against TSU, the most in a match since September 2016.
UP NEXT
Auburn stays on the road for the entire month of September as the team travels to Fort Worth, Texas, Sept. 14-15. The Tigers face Miami Saturday at 2 p.m. CT and follow on Sunday vs. Texas Christian.
SCOUTING FLORIDA GULF COAST
- The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles are coming off a 27-7 season in 2018, including the program's first NCAA Tournament victory. The Eagles stand at 3-0 in 2019 after picking up three wins at home to start the year.
- Matt Botsford, the reigning ASUN Coach of the Year, enters his sixth season as the FGCU volleyball head coach. In his six seasons at the helm of the Eagles, Botsford has registered 20 wins in four straight seasons and led FGCU in its first trip to the NCAA tournament.
- The Eagles were picked to win the ASUN against this season, receiving eight of the nine first place votes.
- Reigning ASUN player of the year Courtney VanLiew, who became FGCU's first-ever AVCA Honorable Mention All-American last year, was selected as the preseason player of the year. The junior outside hitter led all ASUN players with 482 kills, while adding 312 digs last year.
SCOUTING SOUTH FLORIDA
- The South Florida Bulls are 2-0 in 2019 after winning both matches of the Ball State Invitational in Muncie, Ind., last weekend.
- Courtney Draper, who earned her 100th career win at USF last season, is in her sixth season at the helm for the Bulls.
- After the program's first postseason appearance since 2002, the Bulls were voted to finish sixth in the American this season.
- Senior outside hitter Jac'cara Walker was named to the preseason American Athletic All-Conference team. She finished fourth in The American with 394 kills and led USF with 15 double-doubles last season.
SCOUTING GEORGE WASHINGTON
- George Washington is 2-1 on the early season, competing in the DC Challenge last weekend to kick start 2019.
- Sarah Bernson enters her third season with the Colonials.
- The Colonials were picked to finish fifth in the A-10 this season.
- Senior setter Jaimeson Lee returns for GW after dishing out 877 assists and tying for the team best with 16 double-doubles in 2018.