GCU Opens Season Against No. 16 Minn. State

Grand Canyon gets a tough test early, opening the 2011 women’s volleyball season with Minnesota State -- ranked No. 16 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association -- at the Nanook Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska Friday.

Minnesota State is the only pre-season ranked team on the Antelopes slate and the first of three matches in two days in the Patty Center.

“It’s a great opportunity to play someone highly-ranked in the nation,” said GCU coach Kris Naber, in her 17th season as head coach. “It gives us an idea where we want to be. That is where our vision is. We want to be that team.”

First serve is set for 6 p.m.

On Saturday, GCU will take on Dallas Baptist at noon and Alaska Fairbanks at 8 p.m. Fans can follow all the matches with free video streaming and live stats provided by Alaska Fairbanks.

The Minnesota State match is the first of 27 on the schedule, which includes 13 at Antelope Gymnasium. GCU returns 14 players from last year’s team, including honorable mention all-conference setter Kristen Preach. It also marks the return of two healthier hitters in sophomore Caelen Hiller and senior Brooke Blomenkamp.

Hiller has missed the last one and one-half years due to injury. During her freshman season, she was averaging 4.1 kills and had a .284 hitting percentage. Blomenkamp is one of three seniors on the club. She was coming into her own as a first-year junior college transfer in 2010 before an injured ankle kept her from finishing the campaign 100 percent.

The team also returns its all-time leader in digs, Laurann Durbin. The Phoenix libero has set single-season dig records in each of her three seasons. She had 616 last year and averaged 5.65 on the season, ranking her No. 15 in the nation.

Naber is hoping having a veteran squad will pay dividends.

“I think our leadership has changed,” said Naber. “We have a lot of strong leaders and that goes with maturity and with change.”

Coming off a 10-19 season and seventh place finish in the Pacific West Conference, the Antelopes were picked sixth in the PacWest coaches’ preseason poll.

“I think you go in every season trying to win the conference championship and go to the post-season,” said Naber. “I think we’re going to surprise some people and turn some heads.

“We didn’t like how low we finished last season and I think our level of talent has improved.”

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
Minnesota State (1-0): The Mavericks were an NCAA tournament team in 2010, finishing 20-8. They will have a match under their belts before the ‘Lopes, beating Alaska Fairbanks 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-19) Thursday. Jill Storlie hit .280 and had 11 kills.
Dallas Baptist (0-0): The Patriots finished 17-19 in 2010 and open the 2011 campaign Friday against Alaska, following GCU’s match with Minnesota State. They were runners-up in the Heartland Conference Championships last season.
Alaska Fairbanks (0-5): The Nanooks are the most experienced team in the classic, as far as matches played in 2011. Along with Thursday’s loss to Minnesota State, Alaska dropped four matches in Hawai’i, one each to Pacific West Conference foes Hawai’i Hilo (3-0), Chaminade (3-2), Hawai’i Pacific (3-0) and BYU-Hawai’i (3-1).

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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