ARLINGTON, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team opens up their 2014 season this weekend, with three matches at the College Park Maverick Classic hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington.
The Cardinals start off Friday at 7:00 p.m. against UT-Arlington. Then on Saturday they face the University of Denver at 11:00 a.m., and finish off the tournament against Jackson State University at 4:30 p.m.
The Cardinals are returning five starters from the 2013 campaign, in which they went 13-13 overall and 7-7 in Southland Conference play. Junior setter
Taylor McClelland (Cypress/Cypress Ranch HS) was second on the team in assists in 2013, averaging 4.39 per set.
Meaghan Patterson (Helotes/O'Connor HS), the only senior on this year's squad, averaged 1.29 kills per set and also led the team in blocks with 85. Junior outside hitter,
Angelique Vidaurri (San Antonio/Southwest HS), was second on the team in kills per set with 2.86 and also added 67 total blocks.
Head coach Jen Montoya returns for the Cardinals' second year as a member of the NCAA Division I and knows that it won't be an easy year, after losing three starters from last year. "We have a lot of newcomers, which presents challenges to build trust and teach a new system," said Montoya. "We are focusing on learning to fight, learning the system and getting comfortable with each other in the preseason."
The Cardinals will play three more away tournaments before their first home game, which is September 27
, against the University of Central Arkansas at 2:00 p.m. at the McDermott Center.
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