LAWTON, Okla. – The Cameron University volleyball team kicks off the 2019 fall season with four matches at the Missouri Southern Tournament this weekend in Joplin, Mo.

Weekend Schedule:
- Friday - Sep. 6
    G1 - Wayne State | 11 a.m. 
    G2 - CSU-Pueblo | 3 p.m. 
- Saturday - Sep. 7
    G3 - Missouri Southern | 1 p.m. 
    G4 - Black Hills State | 5 p.m. 

About the Aggies:
This weekend's matches begin a new era for CU volleyball as head coach Brandon Stephenson begins his coaching career for the Black and Gold. Stephenson takes over a squad that returns nine from last year's squad with the addition of 10 newcomers. The Aggies were voted last in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll after a disappointing 2018. However, CU has a lot of new talent and the new look conference good prove beneficial down the road.

Cameron's most experience comes at the setter position, where junior Katherine Manning is coming off a 2018 where she averaged 5.58 assists per set to go along with 20 service aces and 2.18 digs per set. She, sophomore Kirsten Evans (166 assists in 2018), and junior college transfer Desiree Marmolejo will look to orchestrate the CU offense.  

Despite the experience at setter, Stephenson has to replace most of the rotation from last season. Katrina Campbell (1.29 digs per set), Peyton Little (1.29 digs per set), and Kirbie Sanders (1.10 digs per set) have been competing all fall to fill CU's libero slot, while CU will rely on a handful of newcomers on the outside and in the middle. Sophomore Shantalle Demirjian was third on the team last season with 187 kills to go along with 52 total blocks. Fellow sophomore Sarah Wright showed promise with 1.37 kills per set last season, but played in just 12 matches during her freshman campaign.

Scouting Wayne State:
- Member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
- Picked fourth in the NSIC preseason poll after going 22-9 a year ago.
- Junior middle Jaci Brahmer was voted the Wildcat's Player to Watch after being named to the All-NSIC second team the past two seasons.
- Brahmer averaged 2.29 kills while hitting .307 on the attack to go along with a conference best 1.16 blocks per set.
- WSC also returns top outside hitters Katie Stephens (2.94 kills per set) and Alyssa Ballenger (2.70 kills per set).

Scouting CSU-Pueblo:
- Regional opponent, member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
- Voted to finish 11th in the RMAC Preseason Poll under first year head coach Austin Albers.
- Had three players named RMAC Players to Watch in the conference: Page Heller, Brook Schilling, and Sarah Vang.
- Heller was an honorable mention All-RMAC player a year ago, setting CSU-Pueblo single-season records with 522 digs at a 5.38 average.
- Schilling recorded 300 kills, 25 service aces, and 11 doubles-doubles on her way to an All-RMAC honorable mention selection.
- Vang averaged 2.63 kills and 2.36 digs per set in 2018.
 
Scouting Missouri Southern:
- Southern was picked ninth in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association preseason poll after finishing ninth last season.
- They return 12 players including five starters from last year's 3-25 squad.
- Janelle Brehm led the team with 269 kills with a .143 attack percentage, while also averaging 2.93 digs per set in 2018.
- Middle blocker Alicia Pickett totaled 70 blocks and 125 kills as a junior.
- Morgan Nash is the top returning setter, having averaged 1.80 assists and 4.05 digs per set to go along with 15 service aces as a sophomore. 

Scouting Black Hills State:
- The Yellow Jackets were voted to finish 10th in the RMAC preseason poll after going 9-16 last season.
- BHSU returns 10 players from the 2018 squad, and added three transfers and four true freshman during the offseason.
- Setter Lauren Lech returns after recording 702 assists, 241 digs, and 123 kills as a sophomore.
- Returning defensive specialists Jessy Hibl and Valerie Blake combined for 495 digs in 2018.
- Black Hills State has five sophomore hitters back led by Madison Hoopman, who averaged 2.12 kills over 58 sets played.

Up Next:
Cameron will attend another four match invitational next week, Sep. 13-14, as they compete in the Southeastern Oklahoma State Classic. They will play Southeastern, Arkansas-Monticello, Central Oklahoma, and East Central over the two-day stretch.