CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina volleyball team will open the 2024 season in Atlanta, Ga., at the Georgia Tech Invitational on Aug. 30 – Sept. 2. The Chanticleers will face a pair of first-time opponents in New Mexico State (8/30) and UCLA (9/1) along with the nationally ranked No. 14 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9/2). CCU's contest versus host Georgia Tech will be available for viewing on the ACC Network Extra.
COASTAL'S WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 Coastal vs. New Mexico State 3 p.m. ET
Sept. 1 Coastal vs. UCLA Noon ET
Sept. 2 Coastal vs. Georgia Tech 4 p.m. ET
ABOUT COASTAL CAROLINA
The Chanticleers finished 22-10 last season winning the Sun Belt Conference regular season and tournament titles. Coastal was voted to finish second in the East Division in the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Poll and saw
Jalyn Stout selected as the Sun Belt Offensive Preseason Player of the Year.
CCU will welcome back two all-conference players from last season's squad, including Stout and
Sydney Lewis. Stout, a Gainesville, Fla. native, appeared in 29 matches with 28 starts tallied 365 kills with 506 assists, while digging 319 shots with 35 total blocks to be named the 2023 SBC Freshman of the Year. Lewis, a libero from Saint Johns, Fla., led the team with 479 digs while playing in 29 matches and being named as a member of the 2023 All-Sun Belt Conference second team. Also returning for the Chants are
Agata Lesiak,
Lauren Malone,
Valentina Varani,
Cagla Bengi,
Dilara Unal,
Emily Fowler, and
Bailee Earnhardt.
ABOUT NEW MEXICO STATE
The Aggies finished 21-10 last season and were selected to finish second in the Conference USA head coaches preseason poll.
New Mexico State had four players named to the CUSA preseason team with Yasso Amin, Darian Markham, Mari Sharp and Ryleigh Whitekettle earning all-conference honors.
ABOUT UCLA
The Bruins finished 18-12 last season and were selected to finish eighth in the Big Ten head coaches preseason poll. The Bruins' last conference championship was in 1999 when they posted a 17-1 record.
Anna Dodson was the lone Bruin named to the Big Ten Volleyball Preseason All-Conference team. Dodson received the first AVCA All-American recognition of her career in 2023, being named honorable mention. The Bruins' star middle blocker was also named to the All-Pac-12 Team for the third time in her career. Dodson recorded 322.0 points off 233 kills and 131 blocks. She led UCLA and ranked third in the Pac-12 with a .374 hitting percentage.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH
The Yellow Jackets finished 24-7 last season, including making a run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Volleyball tournament. GT enters the season ranked No. 14 in the preseason edition of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division I Women's Volleyball Poll and selected to finish fourth in the ACC preseason poll.
The Jackets return five starters from last year's Sweet 16 team including the team leaders in kills; Tamara Otene (406), hitting percentage; Liv Mogridge (.433), aces; Bianca Bertolino (62), and blocks; DeAndra Pierce (64). Bertolino and Otene were named to the All-ACC first team last season.
For complete coverage of CCU women's volleyball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalVball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
