Owls Open Season with Florida Atlantic Invitational

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic volleyball is about to kick off its 2025 season this weekend, internet hosting the Florida Atlantic Invitational on Friday, Aug. 29, and Saturday, Aug. 30, welcoming Kent State, Texas Tech, and Western Carolina.

The Owls will open the season on Friday, Aug. 29 with a 12 p.m. first serve in opposition to Kent State. Florida Atlantic will shut out its season-opening day with a 7 p.m. first serve in opposition to Texas Tech, earlier than closing out the weekend in opposition to Western Carolina on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 1 p.m. All matches will likely be broadcast on FAUSports.com.

 

SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC

• Florida Atlantic opens its 2025 season this weekend, internet hosting the Florida Atlantic Invitational.
• The Owls will face Kent State and Texas Tech on Friday, earlier than closing out the weekend in opposition to Western Carolina on Saturday.
• Florida Atlantic is simply coming off a powerful 2024 season, which noticed the Owls earn their first American Championship closing look and this system’s first convention championship look since 2005. The Owls completed the season 18-13, together with a pair of five-set wins over No. 3-seed East Carolina, 3-2, and No. 2-seed Rice, 3-2, within the American Conference Tournament.
• The Owls welcome again eight key returners, in addition to including eight newcomers, together with 4 veteran transfers and 4 proficient freshmen.
• Excluding the shortened 2020 season, 2025 marks the sixth consecutive season the Owls have hosted their season-opening Florida Atlantic Invitational.
• The Owls enter their 14^th season beneath the management of Head Coach Fernanda Nelson, who holds a 190-165 profession file on the helm.
• This weekend’s matchups will mark the third all-time assembly between Florida Atlantic and Western Carolina, as properly because the second matchups in opposition to Kent State and Texas Tech.

SCOUTING KENT STATE

• Kent State completed 2-26 and 1-17 in MAC play, ending final within the MAC in 2024.
• The Golden Flashes enter their fourth season beneath head coach Haley Eckerman, who has recorded a 21-65 (.244) profession file over her three seasons at Kent State.
• The Golden Flashes return two of their high 4 pin hitters from a season in the past, together with their kills chief, Mackenzie McGuire, who led the crew with 261 kills in 2024.
• Kent State additionally brings again its digs chief in libero Greta Bolognini, who recorded a team-best 270 digs throughout the 2024 marketing campaign.
• Friday will mark the second all-time assembly between Florida Atlantic and Kent State. The Owls will face off in opposition to the Golden Flashes for the primary time since 2008 as they appear to earn their first win over Kent State after falling 3-2 in a five-set battle of their first and solely assembly on Sept. 13, 2008.

 
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH

• Texas Tech completed their 2024 season 14-16 general and 6-12 in Big XII play.
• Tech enters its 10^th season beneath head coach Tony Graystone, who boasts a 570-301 (.654) profession file and a 130-136 (.489) mark on the helm in Lubbock.
• The Red Raiders return six from their 2024 crew, together with 4 starters in Aliyah McDonald, Katelyn Cochran, Reagan Engler, and Emily Contreras, in addition to Addie Kanouff and Jasmine Martin, who sat out the 2024 season on account of harm. McDonald is the crew’s returning kills chief, recording 121 kills in 2024, in addition to the crew’s returning blocks chief (96), factors chief (179.0), and hitting share chief (.241).
• Texas Tech provides 9 freshmen for the 2025 season.
• Friday can even mark the second all-time assembly between the Owls and the Red Raiders. Florida Atlantic will look to bounce again after dropping a four-set match, 3-1, of their first assembly final season.

 
SCOUTING WESTERN CAROLINA

• Western Carolina went 8-21 general and 2-13 in SoCon play, ending eighth within the league final season.
• The Catamounts enter their 15^th season beneath the route of Head Coach Karen Glover, who boasts a 179-237 (.430) profession file.
• Western Carolina returns two of its high 5 pin hitters from their 2024 squad, led by Zoe Zudans and Janelle Blue. Zudans is the crew’s kills chief, ending with a crew fourth-best 177 kills, recording 1.95 kills per set, a season in the past. Blue ranked fifth on the crew final season, recording 156 kills, tallying 1.53 per set throughout the 2024 marketing campaign.
• Western Carolina additionally returns its main setter, Katie Boney, who dished out 543 assists final season, averaging 5.72 per set, and it is digs chief, Eda Yalcinkaya, who tallied a team-best 404 digs, averaging 3.96 digs per set in 2024.
• Florida Atlantic and Western Carolina are tied 1-1 all-time. In their final assembly, the Owls earned their first win over the Catamounts, taking a four-set win, 3-1, in 2016 to tie the collection.

 
UP NEXT
Following their season-opening weekend, the Owls will stay at residence as they host the North Florida Ospreys for a midweek matchup on Tuesday, Sept. 2. First serve is scheduled for five p.m. inside Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.
 
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