Completed Event: Volleyball at Arizona State on March 20, 2026 ,
Volleyball
at Arizona State
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, August 23
Antelope Gymnasium
6 p.m.
Grand Canyon
vs
GCU Purple/Black Alumni Match
Mackenzie Phelps is GCU's all-time leader in digs with 1,877.
Photo by: Darryl Webb
Preview: Women's Volleyball
8/22/2014 1:14:00 PM | Volleyball
The 2014 Grand Canyon University women's volleyball season gets underway Saturday (6 p.m.) with the annual Purple-Black Alumni Match at Antelope Gymnasium.
Head coach Kris Naber begins her 20th season at the helm, while the program embarks on its second season in NCAA Division I and the Western Athletic Conference.
"With season two, we're excited and a more familiar with what we're getting into," said Naber."The girls back from last season have built off the high points and learned from the struggles. They're working hard to avoid those struggles this season."
Six players return from last season, including five that saw considerable time on the court. Libero Mackenzie Phelps and outside hitters Shannon Dugan and Hayleigh Friemoth are the team's three seniors. Sophomores Hannah Hankins and Megan Byrnes saw court time in the middle last year. Maddy Underwood returns after a redshirt season.
"All three of our seniors have the capabilities to be six-rotation players," said Naber.
Phelps, the program's all-time leader in digs (1,877), could see some time as an outside hitter. The Prescott native was recruited as an outside hitter out of high school. She set a school and WAC record with 52 digs in a five-set match against Central Connecticut State in September. Dugan finished a strong 2013 campaign by recording 20 or more kills in two of the team's last three matches and averaging 20.3 kills during that span. Friemoth, like Phelps, is a four-year veteran. She had double-digit kills five times last season, including 19 in a four-set WAC match at Utah Valley.
Hankins was the most productive of the true freshmen in 2013. She had eight kills and 11 blocks in a five-set WAC win at Chicago State. Byrnes, coming off a redshirt season in 2012, had six starts in 2013.
Naber's club has nine newcomers, including two Division I transfers, five true freshmen and two junior college transfers.
The Antelopes are adding two setters with Division I experience. Michelle Steagall, who prepped at Phoenix Desert Vista, comes to GCU from Winthrop. Leigh Stonerook, who joined the Antelopes sand program last spring, transferred from Montana State. Natalie Tardy, a 6-2 outside hitter from nearby Scottsdale Horizon High School and libero Emily Vitel, from St. Charles, Ill., lead the large frosh class.
Naber will also look to get contributions from JUCO outside hitters Natalija Dordevic and Jordyn Sanchez along with freshmen middles Hannah Hicks and Gracie Dimond and frosh outside hitter Randahl Powers.
The regular season opens Aug. 29 at the Texas Southern Invitational in Houston. GCU opens with a 3 p.m. match against Prairie View and will play Texas Southern at 5 p.m.
The Antelopes will play two more exhibition games at GCU Arena Sept. 2-3 at 6 p.m. against Mount Royal, out of Canada. The regular-season home opener is Sept. 17 against Southern Utah. The WAC season begins Sept. 19 with a 10 a.m. (Arizona Time) match at Chicago State.
Click here for 2014 Schedule
Click here for 2014 Roster
Head coach Kris Naber begins her 20th season at the helm, while the program embarks on its second season in NCAA Division I and the Western Athletic Conference.
"With season two, we're excited and a more familiar with what we're getting into," said Naber."The girls back from last season have built off the high points and learned from the struggles. They're working hard to avoid those struggles this season."
Six players return from last season, including five that saw considerable time on the court. Libero Mackenzie Phelps and outside hitters Shannon Dugan and Hayleigh Friemoth are the team's three seniors. Sophomores Hannah Hankins and Megan Byrnes saw court time in the middle last year. Maddy Underwood returns after a redshirt season.
"All three of our seniors have the capabilities to be six-rotation players," said Naber.
Phelps, the program's all-time leader in digs (1,877), could see some time as an outside hitter. The Prescott native was recruited as an outside hitter out of high school. She set a school and WAC record with 52 digs in a five-set match against Central Connecticut State in September. Dugan finished a strong 2013 campaign by recording 20 or more kills in two of the team's last three matches and averaging 20.3 kills during that span. Friemoth, like Phelps, is a four-year veteran. She had double-digit kills five times last season, including 19 in a four-set WAC match at Utah Valley.
Hankins was the most productive of the true freshmen in 2013. She had eight kills and 11 blocks in a five-set WAC win at Chicago State. Byrnes, coming off a redshirt season in 2012, had six starts in 2013.
Naber's club has nine newcomers, including two Division I transfers, five true freshmen and two junior college transfers.
The Antelopes are adding two setters with Division I experience. Michelle Steagall, who prepped at Phoenix Desert Vista, comes to GCU from Winthrop. Leigh Stonerook, who joined the Antelopes sand program last spring, transferred from Montana State. Natalie Tardy, a 6-2 outside hitter from nearby Scottsdale Horizon High School and libero Emily Vitel, from St. Charles, Ill., lead the large frosh class.
Naber will also look to get contributions from JUCO outside hitters Natalija Dordevic and Jordyn Sanchez along with freshmen middles Hannah Hicks and Gracie Dimond and frosh outside hitter Randahl Powers.
The regular season opens Aug. 29 at the Texas Southern Invitational in Houston. GCU opens with a 3 p.m. match against Prairie View and will play Texas Southern at 5 p.m.
The Antelopes will play two more exhibition games at GCU Arena Sept. 2-3 at 6 p.m. against Mount Royal, out of Canada. The regular-season home opener is Sept. 17 against Southern Utah. The WAC season begins Sept. 19 with a 10 a.m. (Arizona Time) match at Chicago State.
Click here for 2014 Schedule
Click here for 2014 Roster
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