FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball team begins the 2024 season Friday, hosting the FGCU Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers Classic.
North Dakota State, UAlbany and UIC will make the trip to the City of Palms. FGCU opens with the Bisons on Friday at 7 p.m. and one lucky student will win a TV raffle giveaway.
Earlier in the day at 11 a.m. the tournament will get started as NDSU takes on UAlbany and UIC will face off against the Great Danes at 2 p.m.
On Saturday, the Green & Blue starts the action against UAlbany at 11 am, while the Flames will battle the Bisons at 1:30 p.m. The Eagles will close out the tournament by taking on UIC at 7 p.m.
This will be FGCU's first match against the Bisons. It lost in five sets against the Great Danes September 27, 2018. UIC and FGCU will go at it for the first time ever Saturday night.
The Eagles were picked to finished second in the ASUN Preseason poll.
Skylar English and
Ella Chapman each earned a spot on the Preseason All-Conference list.
FGCU returns with 10 players from the 2023 ASUN Championship team and welcomes
Barbara Koehler from Wichita State, former Marist player and two-time American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American
Sasha Van Der Merwe, and
Megan Harris from Southern Miss.
The Incoming freshmen are
Raegan Richardson from Jensen Beach High School and
Camila Soto from Puerto Rico.
The Eagles delivered a 26-7 overall record last year while going 15-1 in the ASUN. FGCU would win the ASUN tournament for the third-consecutive season, punching its ticket back to the NCAA Tournament.
