Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop Volleyball is set to begin their season this weekend as they travel to the University of Wyoming for the Rumble in the Rockies Invitational.
 

Winthrop Volleyball Game Information
Match 1 at Wyoming	Friday, Aug. 25 | 2 p.m. (EST) | Video | Live Stats
Match 2 vs. South Dakota St.	Friday, Aug. 25 | 7 p.m. (EST) | Video | Live Stats
Match 3 vs. Green Bay	Saturday, Aug. 26 | 12 p.m. (EST) | Video | Live Stats
Location	Laramie, Wyo. | Uniwyo Sports Complex
Social	Twitter - @WinthropVolley / @WUEagles | Instagram - winthropvolleyball | #ROCKtheHILL | #EverStand

 
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS WYOMING
This is the second meeting between the programs. The only other meeting between the Eagles and the Cowgirls was last season on Sept. 10 with the Eagles winning 3-1 in the Winthrop Coliseum. The Cowgirls went 10-20 (6-12 Mountain West) in 2022.
 
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
Winthrop and South Dakota State meet for the first time this weekend. The Jackrabbits went 18-15 (11-3 Summit) and made the National Invitational Volleyball Tournament last season.
 
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS GREEN BAY
The teams meet for the second time. Winthrop last faced the Phoenix on Sept. 19, 2003 in Greensboro, N.C. and fell 0-3.
 
A LOOK AT THE EAGLES

• The Eagles return 14 players from last year's roster that saw action in at least one game, 10 of which played 10 or more games
• Winthrop welcomes four freshman to the team: Reece Rhoads, Alyah Cadavid, Jessica Cinci and Teagan Sychterz and assistant coach Sam Greenslade
• Graduate student Alicia Roberts will be returning for her final year of eligibility after being top 10 in the conference in hitting percentage and blocks per set
• Redshirt sophomore Isabella Murray was named second team all-conference in which she finished first in the Big South and 42nd in the country in assists per set at 10.35,
• Murray was the only player in the league to average 10 or more assists per set last season. She recorded 260 digs for an average of 2.57 per set. She also had 56 blocks and 27 service aces on the season
• Sophomore Avery Jolley garnered honorable mention and all-freshman honors after a season that saw her notch 80 digs, 229 kills, 34 blocks, and 23 service aces on the season
• Senior Brookelynn Thomas took honorable mention all-conference honors after finishing sixth in the conference in points per set with 3.35. She was second on the team with 2.46 kills per set. Thomas finished the season with 27 service aces, a career-high for a single-season
• Junior Karli Shepherd earned honorable mention all-conference. She finished fourth on the team with 150 kills (1.74 per set), Shepherd finished with 76 digs, 31 blocks, and 11 service aces on the year
• Senior Madison Gorniak finished 2022 in leading the team in digs and finished sixth in the conference in digs at 3.78 and was second on the team in assists with 62. She also finished third on the team in aces with 24
• Winthrop finished 16-12 (12-4 Big South) last season, finishing third in the regular-season. The Eagles advanced to the semifinals of the Big South tournament and had six players named Big South All-Conference, including Murray winning the Conference's Freshman of the Year
• Heather Gearhart enters her second season as the head coach for the Eagles after spending the 2022 campaign in an interim role
• The Eagles have played 1,775 matches all-time as the program holds a mark of 1,058-716
• Since Winthrop and the Big South Conference were elevated to Division I status in 1986-87, the Eagles are the winningest program in Big South history with 625 victories overall

GET YOUR SEASON TICKETS TODAY
General Admission tickets will be sold for all volleyball games in the 2023 season. Season tickets are currently on sale for $20. Single-game tickets are $5. Get your season pass today by visiting www.winthropeagles.com/volleyballtickets or call the ticket office at (803) 323-2345.
 
WATCH THE EAGLES ON ESPN+
All but one of the home games during the 2023 season will air live on ESPN+. You can also catch select road games in Big South Conference play on ESPN+. To watch Big South games on ESPN+ you must have a subscription to ESPN+. For more information on how to subscribe, click here.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Winthrop will travel to Raleigh, N.C. next week to participate in the Lady Wolfpack Invitational at Reynolds Coliseum on the campus of North Carolina State University. The Eagles will play Rutgers, Howard and the host Wolfpack. Winthrop will first face Rutgers on Thursday at 2 p.m. The games will be streamed live on ACCN+.
 
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
To keep up with the latest news on the Winthrop volleyball program follow the Eagles on Twitter (@WinthropVolley), Instagram (@winthropvolleyball) and Facebook (/winthropvolleyball).