SHERMAN, Texas – McMurry University volleyball will take its first swings at the 2017 season when it competes in the Austin College Classic on Friday-Saturday (Sept. 1-2). This will be the 22nd season in which McM has been guided by head coach
Cammie Petree.
After rolling up 20 wins in 2016 – the ninth time the program has reached that plateau in school history – Petree's 2017 squad will have a youthful look, with just one senior: All-American Southwest Conference West Division h.m. pick
Baylie Barnes. In all, the War Hawks have 10 returning letterwinners and welcome in four freshmen, as well.
Heading the returning cast of players is sophomore
Justice McGowan, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker. McGowan earned an arm-load of awards as a freshman. She was the ASC West co-Freshman of the Year, first team All-ASC and first team All-ASC West Division.
As a frosh, McGowan posted the seventh-best attack percentage in a season in school history, hitting .305. McGowan was named to the ASC's "Watch List" for 2017.
Joining McGowan on the league's list of pre-season favorites is libero
Odalis Rodriguez, a junior. Rodriguez's 536 digs last year was the sixth-best total ever produced in a season by a McM player. She enters 2017 with 905 career digs.
The War Hawks open play Friday in the Austin Classic versus Centenary (La.) College (4 p.m.), before taking on host Austin College later that evening (8 p.m.). On Saturday, McMurry will face Lawrence (Wisc.) University (10 a.m.) and Paul Quinn College (2 p.m.).
WHAT: Austin College Classic
WHERE: Sherman, Texas
WHEN: Friday-Saturday, Sept. 1-2, 2017
OPPONENTS: Centenary (Fri./4 p.m.); Austin (Fri./8 p.m.); Lawrence (Sat./10 a.m.); Paul Quinn (Sat./2 p.m.)
NOTES:
*McM head coach
Cammie Petree begins her 22nd year at the McM helm.
*Petree has a career coaching record of 377-249.
*The War Hawks have just one senior on their roster.
*McM picked to place third in the ASC West pre-season poll.
*McMurry's athletics program is in the final year of the four-year reclassification process for NCAA III.
*McM has made five-consecutive trips to the National Christian College Athletic Association post-season tournament, entering 2017.
