By Dane Massey | Sports Link
MUNCIE, Ind — Ball State Women’s Volleyball is set to run it back as they go on the road to participate in two tournaments to start the year.
One at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Friday and Saturday, and another over Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 1 and 2), at Lipscomb University in Nashville.
After coming off a Mid-American Conference Volleyball Championship and a NCAA Tournament appearance, the Cardinals are currently favored to repeat as champions of the MAC West Division unanimously, as well as being favored to win the league’s tournament behind Bowling Green.
The Cardinals are also receiving votes in the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Rankings with 18. However, that was last season and this year the Cardinals look to start fresh and potentially run it back. However, the road to a repeat starts in Tampa and Music City.
Most of last season’s key contributors return to the Cardinals this season, including First Team All-MAC honorees seniors Natalie Mitchem and Marie Plitt, as well as sophomore Megan Wielonski.
Wielonski was also named the MAC Freshman of the Year after helping BSU rank first in the league and 23rd nationally with a .265 team attack percentage.
In Tampa, the Cardinals will take on the South Alabama Jaguars (finished 25-7 last season) and the University of South Florida Bulls (finished 7-24 last season) Friday.
Then on Saturday will take on the William & Mary University Tribe (finished 5-16 last season). The Cardinals have a combined record of 4-3 against South Alabama and USF, however this will be the first ever meeting between BSU and William & Mary in history.
After visiting the sunny skies of Tampa, Ball State will head northwest to Nashville to take on the Oklahoma Sooners (finished 10-17 last season) and the Lipscomb Bisons (finished 14-13 last season) the following week. The Cardinals will finish their road trip with a matchup against the Mississippi State Bulldogs (finished 25-6 last season).
The Cardinals will return home for a tournament Sept. 9-10 and will play their home opener against Arkansas State at Worthen Arena at 10 a.m.
Matches against USF (this Friday at 7 p.m.) and Lipscomb (Friday Sept 2 at 8 p.m.) will be streaming on ESPN+. Follow @BallStateWVB & @bsusportslink for more updates.
