Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop volleyball opens its 2021 season at the Classic City Clash hosted by the University of Georgia Aug. 27-28. Winthrop will open up Friday against Pepperdine and then face the host Bulldogs and Morehead State on Saturday.
| Winthrop Match Information - Classic CIty Clash (Athens, Ga. - Stegeman Coliseum) |
| Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 |
vs. #22 Pepperdine | 4:30 p.m. | Live Stats: Sidearm |
| Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021 |
at Georgia | 10:30 a.m. | Live Stats: Sidearm | Live Stream: SECN+ |
|
vs. Morehead State | 5 p.m. | Live Stats: Sidearm |
| Tickets |
Free Admission |
| Social Media |
Twitter - @WinthropVolley / @WUEagles | Instagram - winthropvolleyball | #ROCKtheHILL | #EverStand |
SEASON OPENERS
Winthrop is 30-20 all-time in season openers. The Eagles have dropped five of their last six season openers. The last time the Eagles opened the season on a neutral site was 2018 at the Georgia Tech Tournament, which they fell to Abilene Christian in five games.
SERIES HISTORY
This is the first ever meeting between Winthrop and Pepperdine. The Eagles are 1-8 all-time vs. Georgia with the last meeting coming in 2006 in a 3-0 win. Morehead State holds a 2-1 advantage in its all-time series as Winthrop won the more recent matchup in 2019, 3-2.
A GLANCE AT WINTHROP
The Eagles return four that played in all 16 games in the spring.
Morgan Bossler and
Nikkia Benitez were first and second on the team in kills per set. Bossler ranked 5
th in the Big South in hitting percentage.
Jana Owens led the team with 352 assists and ranked 4
th in the league.
Isabel Schaefbauer was 8
th in the league in assists with 221. The Eagles were ranked 2
nd in the Big South in blocks per set, returning for of their top five from last season.
Overall the Eagles return 14 players and welcome seven newcomers.
Head coach
Chuck Rey is in his 4
th season with the Eagles and is 49-26 overall. In 2019 Rey was voted the Big South Conference Coach of the Year as he guided the Eagles to a Big South Championship.
BIG SOUTH PRESEASON POLL
Winthrop was voted to finish third in the Big South Conference preseason poll. High Point is the preseason favorite with 119 points (10 first-place votes) while Campbell was second with 105 points (11 first-place votes). The Eagles had 94 points and were followed by Charleston Southern (91), UNC Asheville (64), North Carolina A&T (63), USC Upstate (59), Presbyterian College (43), Radford (39), Gardner-Webb (25), and Hampton (24).
The Panthers are the defending Big South Champions after a 17-1 mark in the spring and are led by the Preseason Player of the Year, Madison Smith (Jr., OH).
BOSSLER EARNS PRESEASON HONORS
Morgan Bossler was voted to the Big South Preseason All-Conference Team. Bossler has earned all-conference in each of her two seasons with Winthrop as she was named to the second team as a junior and first team this past spring. In the spring she led the team with 135 kills (2.6 per set) and blocks (1.02 per set).
FOLLOW US!
For all the up-to-date information on Winthrop Volleyball, follow along on Twitter at @winthropvolley and Instagram at winthropvolleyball.
