WILMINGTON, N.C . – The Virginia Tech volleyball team opens its 2022 campaign on Friday, playing in three matches at the Seahawk Volleyball Classic hosted by UNC Wilmington. The Hokies will take on the Seahawks, Coastal Carolina and Davidson in the two-day span.
SCHEDULE
Friday, Aug. 26 – Virginia Tech at UNCW | 6 PM | Live Stats | Watch
Saturday, Aug. 27 – Virginia Tech vs. Coastal Carolina | Noon | Live Stats
Saturday, Aug. 27 – Virginia Tech vs. Davidson | 3 PM | Live Stats
THINGS TO KNOW
Season Openers
The Hokies are 7-0 since 2014 in season openers, with their last season-opening loss coming at the hands of Butler on Aug. 29, 2014. A season ago, Tech took down Lehigh 3-2 at the Virginia Tech Invitational. Elayna Duprey led the way with 11 kills and Cera Powell added 10. Logan Mosley posted 23 digs and Mara Perry led the team with 21 assists.
Tough Transfers
The 2022 roster for the Hokies features six transfers: Cara Lewis, Maddie Slagle, Reagan Goeke, Sydney Petersen, Jenna Appel and Ava Francis. Lewis, a transfer from Maryland, ranked first on the team, second in the Big Ten and eighth nationally with 1.54 blocks per set. Another Big Ten transfer, Slagle posted 760 digs in her career with Iowa, finishing with 1.959 digs per set, as well as 52 aces. Goeke and Petersen will also join the Hokie block as transfers, with Goeke coming from Pepperdine and Petersen from Nevada. Francis comes to Blacksburg as an outside hitter, spending fall of 2021 at Arizona, and Appel joins the Hokies as a setter from Loyola Chicago.
Fresh Faces
Along with the six transfers, the Hokies also add nine freshmen to the squad for this season. Three of those freshmen were early enrollees and played the 2021 spring season for the Hokies; Sierra Cates, Hanna Borer and Lauren Fowler. The other six joined the Hokies this summer and look to make an immediate impact on the young squad
Hokie Block Party
A season ago, Virginia Tech ranked fifth nationally in total blocks midway through the season. Tech ended the year with 259.5 blocks per season vs. 205.5 posted by opponents throughout the season. With 2.30 blocks per set, the Hokies also led opponents, with a 1.82 mark by opponents. Cera Powell returns as a member of the Hokie block, posting 29 total a season ago. Cara Lewis, Sydney Petersen, Anabel Zier, Reagan Goeke and Jordan Hallman look to add some depth as well to the position group.
UP NEXT
The Hokies return home for the Hokie Invitational form Sept. 2-3. Tech welcomes Marist, Old Dominion and Coppin State to Cassell Coliseum for a round robin tournament. Hokies will take on Coppin State and Marist on Friday at Noon and 7 p.m., respectively. Saturday's match will have the Hokies take on Old Dominion at 3 p.m.
