LAWTON – The Cameron University volleyball team opens their 2021 fall season with a tough five-match road stretch in Kansas that features a trio of battles against top-25 opponents.

The Aggies' slate begins Thursday, with a battle against No. 8 Washburn in Topeka, Kan at 6 p.m.  Following the match against the Ichabods, CU will compete in the Washburn Invitational over the weekend, where they will face Minot State on Friday morning (10 a.m.) followed by a match against Williams Jewell in the afternoon (4:30 p.m.). The weekend concludes on Saturday with two more top-25 ranked opponents in No. 25 Rockhurst (9 a.m.) and No. 19 Harding (4 p.m.).

FAN INFORMATION
All five matches will be streamed via the MIAA Network via pay-per-view and will have live stats free of charge. Spectators are permitted, but tickets must be purchased in advance via the above link (no tickets will be sold at the gate).

FIRST SERVE
The Aggies played a 12-match schedule during the spring, going 2-10 while playing just UAFS, Midwestern State, and Oklahoma Christian during the shortened season. Head coach Brandon Stephenson is in his third year as the head coach for the Black and Gold, returning to his home state of Kansas for his 2021 squad's first test of the season.

In 2019 under Stephenson, the Aggies went 6-23, but just three players from that team (Desiree Marmolejo, Arianna Navarrete, and Caitlyn Henderson) are on the current roster. That team went 1-4 in their opening weekend.

AGGIE RETURNERS
Cameron's 2021 roster is made up of eight returners and eight newcomers. The returners are led by Marmolejo, Ar. Navarrete, and Henderson, who are all in their third year with the program. Marmolejo has averaged 4.45 assists at Cameron, including 5.11 back in the spring. Ar. Navarrete earned a spot on both the All-Conference and All-Academic teams during the spring and is a solid option on the outside for CU, averaging 2.37 kills and 1.75 digs per set for her career. Henderson has proven to be a force in the middle for CU, as the sophomore has totaled 110.0 blocks in 109 sets played.

The Aggies also have Alanni Carter, Natalia Araujo, Presley Shearin, and Sydney Bolin back after all getting their first taste of the LSC last spring, while Kahrizma Kyles returns after missing the spring with an injury. Carter led CU with 3.41 points per set during the spring, and Shearin averaged 4.03 digs per set while competing for the starting libero spot.

NEW TO CU
Stephenson did a great job on the recruiting trail, bringing in two Division I transfers, three talented JUCO transfers, and three promising freshmen. Setter Kendall Kilchrist comes to CU after spending time at both Incarnate Word and McNeese State and brings more experience to the position. McKenzie Tysor, a 6-foot-3 opposite hitter from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, brings a lot of size to an already tall roster.

Bergen Campbell was an All-American at Pima College, averaging 2.74 kills and 2.65 digs last season. Jessica Lipkit was part of an undefeated National Champion program at Navarro College, while Taylor Hervey averaged 1.17 blocks at Johnson County CC; two more over 6-foot pieces for CU.

As for the true freshmen, the versatile Anjolie Navarrete, setter Noemie Narbonne, and pin-hitter Jacee Stelter all may play in their first collegiate set his weekend.

SCOUTING NO. 8 WASHBURN
The Ichabods are ranked in the top-10 for a good reason. They return 13 players and six All-MIAA from 2019, a season where they went 27-4 and 18-2 in conference play. That group is led by All-American Genna Berg, who was also named the 2019 MIAA Co-Player of the Year. Berg led the team with 411 kills and 484 points. Allison Maxwell, Faith Rottinghaus, and Allison Sadler were also first team All-MIAA selections in 2019.

SCOUTING MINOT STATE
Picked 15th in the NSIC Preseason Poll after a 3-26 record in 2019, the Beavers have a roster of 21 freshmen, one sophomore, three seniors, and one graduate. One of those three seniors, Kayla Verity, was named the Player to Watch by the NSIC.

SCOUTING WILLIAM JEWELL
After going 11-21 in 2019, the Cardinals went just 1-19 during the spring after dealing with injuries and a young roster. Paityn Hardison averaged 3.00 kills per set and hitting .210 in the spring before missing the rest of the season. Jewell also has six new additions and a veteran back row that features Haidan Baade, who was sixth in the GLVC in the spring with 4.71 digs per set.

SCOUTING NO. 25 ROCKHURST
Back in 2019, Rockhurst notched 33 wins on their way to a GLVC Tournament Championship, a NCAA Midwest Regional Championship, and a spot in the National Championship Tournament. Fast-forward to the 2021 spring, the Hawks went 12-7 in a shortened season, which has them ranked No. 25 to start the fall. They are led by a quartet of seniors, Morgan Conner, Justice Wingate, Averi Comastic, and Gabbie Inman.

SCOUTING NO. 19 HARDING
The Bison went 12-1 in the spring and 21-11 in 2019 while finishing as the GAC Tournament runner-up. Logan Smith had an impressive freshman campaign in 2019, averaging 3.47 kills and 3.65 digs per set on her way to a first team All-GAC selection. Head coach Meredith Fear is in her 10th season at Harding and has won over 180 matches at the helm.

LOOKING AHEAD
Cameron's road stretch to begin the season continues Sep. 10-11 at he Fort Hays State Invitational. The weekend in Hays, Kan. consists of matches against Adams State and FHSU on Friday and Black Hills State and Emporia State on Saturday.