INDIANA, Pa. – After a long year off, the IUP women's volleyball team makes its return to the court this weekend with five matches over three days at the Kovalchick Complex. The Crimson Hawks open 2021 Thursday night against Davis & Elkins and then host the five-team IUP Invitational on campus Friday and Saturday.
The four visiting teams competing in the tournament include Frostburg State, Ohio Dominican, Shepherd and Tusculum.
The 10 tournament matches will be split up between Friday and Saturday, with the Kovalchick Complex and Memorial Field House hosting matches Friday. All matches on the second day will be played at the Kovalchick Complex. Please see tournament link above for schedule.
IUP matches will be streamed on the
PSAC Sports Digital Network.
Spectators
IUP Athletics is currently allowing spectators at all events this fall. Any fans attending indoor events, including women's volleyball, are required to wear a mask.
Follow/Social Media
Live Scoring (IUP matches only):
IUPstats.com
Watch (IUP matches only):
PSAC Network |
Additional apps
Twitter:
@IUPVB
Instagram:
@IUPvolleyball
Notes
>> When the Hawks open their 2021 season Thursday, it will be 657 days between meaningful matches as the 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic. IUP did manage to compete in four matches against Clarion this spring that were ultimately counted in the official record books, going 3-1.
>> This weekend marks the official debut of head coach
Julie Torbett, who took the reigns of the program in the summer of 2020. The 1990 Penn State graduate went 447-388 in 26 seasons as a Division I head coach at UNC Asheville, Winthrop, and East Carolina.
>> The IUP roster is made up of eight players with starting experience, including 2019 leading scorer
Nicole Peterson, who had 313 kills and 34 total blocks as a freshman two years ago.
>> Also back is IUP's top setter from 2019,
Leah Henderson. Another impact freshman from that season, Henderson had 618 assists and averaged 6.87 assists per set.
>> Seven sophomores, who didn't get a chance to play in 2020, and three true freshmen look to make their IUP debuts this season. Also new to the roster is sophomore
Stefania Anagnostou, a transfer from Division I Arkansas Little Rock.
>> IUP was picked to finish fifth in the PSAC West in the conference's preseason coaches' poll. After four seasons in a four-division format, the conference has shifted back to an East-West alignment.
>> The Hawks are 2-1 all-time against Davis & Elkins, but are coming off a 5-set loss to the Senators in 2019.
>> This weekend marks IUP's first ever matchups with Ohio Dominican and Tusculum. The Hawks are 14-5 all-time against Shepherd and 1-0 against Frostburg State.
