UTSA travels to Austin for exhibition match at No. 11 Texas this Friday

Aug. 24, 2005
Contact: Kyle Stephens (210) 458-4907 

UTSA travels to Austin for exhibition match at No. 11 Texas this Friday

SAN ANTONIO - The University of Texas at San Antonio volleyball team will travel to Austin for an exhibition match at No. 11 Texas on Friday, Aug. 26. First serve is set for 6 p.m. at Gregory Gym and admission is free.

The Roadrunners, who officially open the 2005 season on Sept. 2 against Delaware at the Charlotte/SpringHill Suites Invitational, return 10 letterwinners, including all seven starters, from last year's 16-16 team that finished tied for fourth in the Southland Conference. Headlining the returnees is junior SLC Player of the Year candidate Meagan Daniel (Hereford, Texas), a two-time first team all-conference selection at outside hitter.

Also back is a junior trio of 2004 honorable mention all-conference players in libero Erin McMillan (San Antonio/Churchill), setter DeeDee Strickland (League City, Texas/Clear Creek) and middle blocker Connie Picard (Spring, Texas/Spring). Head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff is entering her fourth season at UTSA with an overall career record of 299-116.

The Longhorns are ranked No. 11 in the CSTV/American Volleyball Coaches Association Preseason Poll and return seven letterwinners, including five starters, from the 2004 squad that posted a 26-5 mark and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16. Michelle Moriarty, an AVCA honorable mention All Central region setter, and Brandy Magee, an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection at middle blocker, lead the list of returning players for head coach Jerritt Elliott, the 2004 Big 12 and AVCA Central Region Coach of the Year.