8-21-07

GCU volleyball opens season Thursday

Grand Canyon University’s volleyball team opens the 2007 season on the road at 7 p.m. Thursday against Adams State, which is hosting the seven-team Best Western Alamosa Inn/Grizzly Inn Volleyball Classic. The classic runs through Saturday.

GCU, which went 17-14 a year ago, will also play Winona State at 1:30 p.m. Friday and Western New Mexico and Texas Permian Basin at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., respectively, Saturday.

The Antelopes feature Pacific West Conference preseason all-league sophomore outside hitter Dana Edington, who led GCU with 383 kills last season. She was the PacWest’s Freshman of the Year in 2006. Grand Canyon senior middle blocker Ashley Bright led the conference in blocks (110) last season. She ranks 8th all-time in GCU history with 228.

Senior Audra Slemmer and freshman Katie Meyers will handle the setting duties. Junior college transfers Shea Robinson and Shauna Nieman add experience to a talented recruiting class coach Kris Naber is excited about.

Adams State was predicted to finish fifth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference West Division. Adams State finished 5-23 last season. Western New Mexico was tabbed to finish tied for second in the RMAC’s West. WNMU, which went 28-7 to win the RMAC in 2006, is led by preseason all-conference setter Courtney Heiser (Tempe Marcos de Niza). WNMU has four other Arizona players in OH/MB Kristy Herrington (Deer Valley), OH Tirzah Armenta (Central), LB Hayley Fox (Sahuarita) and OH Natali Murdock (Pinnacle).

Winona State was predicted fifth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The Warriors were 17-16 last year. Texas Permian Basin went 14-21 last year. The Falcons have three of their top hitters back in Amithy Henry (459 kills), Molly Atnip (380) and Krystal Polk (270).

GCU was predicted third in the PacWest.