CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team opens the 2021 season on the road at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. It's the first of five road contests this week and the first 10 to open the campaign. First serve at UAM's Steelman Fieldhouse is set for 6 p.m.
The Choctaws close out the week with a road trip to Tyler, Texas for the Dakota's Patriot Classic this weekend.
FIRST SERVE NOTES
- MC and UAM meet for the third time in the series and the first time since 2017. The two programs stand deadlock with the Navy and Gold taking the last meeting in four sets in Magnolia, Ark., on Sept. 15. The Cotton Blossoms picked up the first win in the series on their home floor on Oct. 21, 2014 in straight sets.
- The Choctaws face two first time opponents in Tyler in Ferris State and Southeastern Oklahoma State while they seek their first wins in program history over Harding and Dallas Baptist. MC squared off with DBU on Sept. 1, 2018 in Arkadelphia, Ark., with the Patriots' winning in straight sets. The meeting with HU is the first since Sept. 13, 1986 in Memphis, Tenn. The Bisons took the contest in four sets.
- Three of the five opponents this week come from the Great American Conference, beginning with the season opener UAM. The Green and White were tabbed eighth in the conference while Southeastern Oklahoma State picked 11th. Harding is the highest ranked opponent in the GAC Preseason Poll as the Bisons sit second.
- UAM finished last spring with a 6-6 overall mark and 5-5 in the GAC. The Blossoms return six starters from a season ago. Head coach Jocelyn Garcia returns for her third season and sports a 17-24 mark.
- HU was unblemished in GAC action last season at 10-0 and finished the season with a 12-1 mark. The Black and Gold return six starts from the 2021 spring season. Meredith Fear returns for her 10th campaign in Searcy and sports a 185-72 mark.
- SEOSU finished with a 2-9 record in the spring with both wins coming in GAC play. The Savage Storm return six starters from that campaign. Head coach Nicole Solum-Mitchell (5-34) returns for her third season with the Blue and Gold.
- FSU was picked to finish second in the 2021 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference South Division. The Bulldog volleyball squad had claimed six consecutive GLIAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships prior to a shortened 2021 spring season in which FSU finished with an 11-5 overall record and reached the league tournament semifinals.
- DBU enters the 2021 season under new leadership as Jordan Fish takes the helm after serving as the head coach at Hill College in four seasons. The Patriots were selected 13th in the Lone Star Conference's Preseason Poll.
