WISE, Va. – The 2015 UVa-Wise volleyball season begins Friday as the Cavaliers travel to Misenheimer, North Carolina, to take on Slippery Rock at 3 p.m. before facing Johnson C. Smith at 7 p.m. as part of the Falcon Classic hosted by Pfeiffer University.
 
The first volleyball match of the season will mark the first UVa-Wise athletic event, regardless of sport, to take place as full NCAA Division II members. Saturday the Cavs will play tournament host Pfeiffer University at 11 a.m. before wrapping up the weekend slate against Salem International for a 3 p.m. match.
 
The Cavs begin their fourth season under the guidance of Head Coach Kristen Salyer as UVa-Wise enters its third season in the Mountain East Conference. Being NCAA postseason eligible for the first time while a MEC member, the volleyball team will look to improve on their 14-14 campaign a year ago.
 
UVa-Wise was picked to finish ninth in the MEC volleyball preseason poll by a vote of the league's head coaches.
 
Last season was the Cavs first .500 season or better since UVa-Wise went 25-16 in 2007. Finishing with a 7-9 conference record, the Cavs completed the 2014 season on a two-match win streak and only lost three games the entire year inside the Prior Center. UVa-Wise claimed MEC wins over Concord University, Glenville State, Notre Dame College (Ohio), West Virginia State, University of Charleston and West Virginia Wesleyan in league play last year.
 
The Cavs return seven starters and a total of eight letter winners from a year ago, including a core of six juniors and senior outside hitter Kelsey Smith. Coach Salyer also adds seven freshman to this season's roster.
 
"I am extremely excited about our upcoming season", Coach Salyer remarked. "We are returning eight players from last year's team who have been working hard both in the weight room and on the court during the offseason. Our incoming class consists of seven freshman that bring competitiveness to our practices and elevate our level of preparation."
 
Junior outside hitter Karley Allen highlights the returning starters after being named first-team All-MEC and All-Atlantic Region last season. A finalist for MEC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Allen led the MEC in kills per set at 4.19 and tallied the third-most kills in a single season at the College with 394. The rising junior posted a team-high 15 double-doubles as a sophomore and is on pace to become the first player in school history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a four-year career.
 
Lindsey Tucker, a junior middle blocker, returns after recording the second-most kills on the team last season at 207 and earning 2.25 kills per set, while collecting 51 total blocks. Outside hitter Erin Anderson also returns for her junior season after tallying 195 kills as a sophomore and making 182 digs to go along with 35 services aces. Another strong performer in 2014, junior middle blocker Santana Bishop is back after recording 127 kills, 58 total blocks and 24 service aces last season.
 
"The MEC is strong and competitive in volleyball, but with our combination of talent and experience we should be positioned to do well this season", Coach Salyer commented about the quickly approaching season.
 
Cavalier volleyball returns to Wise Thursday, Sept. 17, as the College plays host to former conference foe Milligan College for a "Throwback Thursday" night to be held at historic Greear Gymnasium at 6:30 p.m. The match will feature free giveaways to fans and will be the first time Coach Salyer guides her team inside Greear, the gym she competed in during her playing career at the College. Admission to all UVa-Wise volleyball home games will be free for everybody this year.
 
MEC play for the Cavs begins Tuesday, Sept. 22 at home versus the University of Charleston at 7 p.m.
 
For all Cavalier volleyball news, statistics, complete schedule and more, including information about this weekend's matches, please visit uvawisecavs.com.