No. 16 MU Opens 2019 Campaign at BYU Nike Invitational

MILWAUKEE – The 16^th-ranked Marquette women's volleyball team opens the 2019 campaign at the BYU Nike Invitational against Utah Valley on Friday, Aug. 30 in Provo, Utah. First serve is slated for 11 a.m. CT, followed by the Golden Eagles facing Boise State at 6:30 p.m. CT.

MU will conclude the invitational against host and ninth-ranked BYU on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. CT.

Marquette lost just two starters from last season's squad that reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 and welcomes four newcomers to the team with two transfers and two freshmen. Senior Allie Barber was tabbed as BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, while Hope Werch and Martha Konovodoff earned Preseason All-BIG EAST honors.

All games this weekend will be available with video with the WCC Network airing free streams of the Utah Valley and Boise State matches. MU vs. BYU will air on BYUtv, which may require a cable provider login to stream. BYUtv is on Dish Network, DirecTV, and 152 cable systems in the United States. You can also view our on-demand programming via BYUtv's digital platform which includes apps for iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, and Windows Mobile.

WHERE TO WATCH/FOLLOW THE ACTION

VIDEO: vs. Utah Valley, WCC Network (https://wccsports.com/watch/?id=170786)
              vs. Boise State, WCC Network (https://wccsports.com/watch/?id=170786)
              at No. 9 BYU, BYUtv (https://www.byutv.org/)
LIVE STATS: vs. Utah Valley (http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=265985)
                      vs. Boise State (http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=265987)
                       at No. 9 BYU (http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=265990)

OPPONENTS

UTAH VALLEY (0-0): Utah Valley reached the 20-win mark in 2018, which was the most wins for the programs since the 2011 season. UVU loses six players from that squad and will welcome five newcomers in 2019. Three Wolverines earned Preseason All-WAC honors in Kristen Allred, reigning WAC Freshman of the Year Kazna Tarawhiti, and senior middleblocker Makaila Jarema.
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This is the first meeting between Utah Valley and Marquette.

BOISE STATE (0-0): Boise State will begin the weekend taking on No. 9 BYU on Friday morning before facing the Golden Eagles. The Broncos return four starters from 2018 in senior outside hitter Janell Walley (2.18 kps, 2.81 dps, 0.66 bps), junior outside hitter Kiley Lewis (2.03 kps, 0.56 bps), sophomore middle blocker Jessica Donahue (2.05 kps, 1.42 bps) and sophomore setter Danielle Boss (7.49 aps, 1.65 digs, 0.41 bps).

This is the first time that Boise State and Marquette will meet.

No. 9 BYU (0-0): BYU enters their home tournament ranked No. 9 in the AVCA Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Cougars are coming off a stellar 2018 campaign in which they reached the NCAA semifinals, falling to No. 1 Stanford, 3-0. Head coach Heather Olmstead was named National Coach of the Year and four All-Americans return for BYU. The Cougars were picked to finish first in the West Coast Conference and will look to win a sixth-straight title.

BYU owns a 3-0 record over the Golden Eagles. Last season in Milwaukee MU fell 3-1 to the Cougars, who were ranked No. 3 at the time.

WHAT THE TEAM IS SAYING:

"We have a tough schedule with four top-20 opponents and three top-10. We play nine NCAA Tournament teams, which is scheduled on purpose and for once we can say we are an older team and we have a pretty veteran group.

Coming off the Europe trip we were able to get right back into it. Our two transfers (Gwyn Jones, Kaitlyn Lines) were able to get an idea of our offense and defense because they were able to train with us in the two weeks before we went to Europe. With this veteran group we have been able to give people breaks when needed and the energy has been high every day."
-Ryan Theis, Head Coach

"I really like how hard our team works. In every practice and workout everyone is here giving 110 percent. I'm excited to get on the court again, wear our jerseys and play for real. We are working really hard, but everyone is looking forward to playing this first weekend and getting a move on our season."
-Allie Barber, senior outside hitter

"I think being a veteran team it makes for an exciting preview. We know what we are doing, we aren't new at this anymore and I think it will be a lot of fun coming off of our great year last year and to see how we have grown. "
- Lauren Speckman, senior setter

STORYLINES:

Friday marks the start of the 44th season of Marquette volleyball and the program is 769-696-5 all-time.
Head coach Ryan Theis begins his sixth season at the helm of the Golden Eagles and owns a 263-101 career record with a 119-47 mark at Marquette.
Theis is the 17^th winningest coach in Division I with a .723 percentage through 11 seasons as a head coach. He has never had a season with fewer than 21 wins and the 28 victories for Marquette in 2018 was a career best in victories for Theis as head coach.
Marquette is 23-20 in season openers and 5-0 in the Ryan Theis era. The Golden Eagles have defeated a ranked opponent in each of the previous three of the past four season openers, picking up a 3-2 victory at No. 20 Hawai'i in 2017.
For the first time in program history the Golden Eagles will begin the season ranked, checking in at No. 16 in the AVCA preseason coaches poll. Marquette spent every week last season ranked or receiving votes in the poll, finishing with a program-best No. 15 ranking in the final poll of the year.
The Golden Eagles were picked to win the BIG EAST in the 2019 preseason coaches poll, earning eight first-place votes, which is the second consecutive season that Marquette was selected first in preseason.
MU is receiving 163 votes in the AVCA Division I Preseason Coaches Poll, sitting at an unofficial 26^th in the country.
Marquette plays a tough non-conference schedule and will face four ranked opponents and two that are receiving votes in the AVCA preseason coaches poll beginning at No. 9 BYU. MU also travels to No. 5 Wisconsin (Sept. 5), hosts No. 20 Baylor (Sept. 8) and takes on No. 6 Illinois (Sept. 15 at Illinois State). UCF (Sept. 13) and Northern Iowa (Sept. 21) are receiving votes in the poll. Currently, BIG EAST foe Creighton is ranked No. 18 in the poll. The Golden Eagles will have their first chance to knock off the reigning league champions on Saturday, Oct. 12 in Milwaukee.
Senior Allie Barber was chosen as the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year for the second straight season, while juniors Hope Werch and Martha Konovodoff were selected to the preseason squad.
Marquette added two transfers and two freshmen to the squad for the 2019 season. Gwyn Jones joins the Golden Eagles as a senior from Auburn, while Kaitlyn (KJ) Lines is a junior transferring from Pacific. Claire Nuessmeier (St. Peter, Minn.) and Hannah Vanden Berg (Little Chute, Wis.) round out the squad as freshmen.

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