Bucs set to face Bowling Green, NKU and #14 Ohio State

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (Aug. 24, 2023) – The new look ETSU volleyball team will open its 2023 season this weekend as the Buccaneers head to Kentucky for the NKU Invitational, which gets underway Friday inside Regents Hall.

ETSU'S MATCHES

Friday, Aug. 25 | ETSU vs. Bowling Green | 3 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats

Saturday, Aug. 26 | ETSU at Northern Kentucky | 5 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats

Sunday, Aug. 27 | ETSU vs. #14 Ohio State | 11 a.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats

ABOUT THE BUCS

• ETSU captured the 2022 Southern Conference regular season title a year ago as the Bucs finished with an overall record of 21-8 and a conference mark of 15-1
• The Bucs, who return seven players from last season's squad, were picked as the preseason favorite in the SoCon
• The Blue & Gold have a new leader at the helm as Dr. Bruce Atkinson was named the program's eighth head coach back in May
• A pair of Buccaneers earned preseason all-SoCon honors as graduate student Lundyn Coffman (Nolensville, Tenn.) and sophomore Brianna Cantrell (Appleton, Wis.) were named top players to watch in the league
• The Bucs added six transfers to their 2023 roster, while also bringing in six true freshmen

ABOUT BOWLING GREEN

• Bowling Green went 22-10 overall and 15-3 in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play in 2022 as the Falcons earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after capturing the conference tournament championship
• The Falcons have played in two of the last three NCAA Tournaments as they also went in 2021 after finishing 22-2 overall and 20-1 in league play
• Bowling Green returns sophomore Lauryn Hovey as she had a banner rookie campaign in 2022 … Hovey earned MAC Freshman of the Year, All-MAC First Team and MAC Tournament MVP honors a year ago … Hovey posted three triple-doubles last year, while posting 326 kills, 88 blocks, 122 digs and 26 service aces
• The Falcons registered 275 total blocks a year ago and return 92% of that output
• Friday will mark the first-ever meeting between ETSU and Bowling Green

ABOUT NKU

• Northern Kentucky finished second last season in the Horizon League after going 18-13 overall and 15-3 in conference action
• The Norse, who fell to top-seeded Wright State in the championship of the Horizon League Tournament, return a pair of all-conference players in Anna Burke and Abby Kanakry … Burke, who has posted over 1,000 career digs, recorded 520 in 2022 … Kanarky was one of three players to register 300 kills last season as she landed right on the number, while also finishing with 82 blocks
• NKU returns all three setters who saw playing time in 2022, while the Norse were picked to finish second in the Horizon League
• ETSU and Northern Kentucky played four times during their time together in the ASUN from 2012-13 with the Bucs winning all four of those matches

ABOUT OHIO STATE

• Ohio State enters the season ranked No. 14 in the AVCA Preseason Top 25
• The Buckeyes finished the 2022 season with a 22-10 record en route to making its first NCAA regional final appearance since 2004 … Ohio State went 15-5 in Big Ten play
• Seniors Emily Londot and Rylee Rader earned 2023 Preseason All-Big Ten team honors … Londot led the team with 463 kills last season, while also adding 311 digs and 86 blocks … Rader finished the 2022 season with 233 kills, 96 blocks and 23 service aces
• Ohio State was picked to finish sixth in the Big Ten
• This marks the first-ever meeting between ETSU and Ohio State

UP NEXT

Following the season opening tournament, the Bucs will remain in state when ETSU heads to Cookeville for the Tennessee Tech Tournament, held Sept. 1-2.

For more information on Buccaneer volleyball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the volleyball tab.