MONROE, La. – The ULM Warhawks will kick off their 2018 season at No.13 TCU as it plays host to ULM, No. 11 Florida International, Houston Baptist and Texas A&M-Kingsville in the Horned Frog Challenge at the TCU Beach Courts. The Warhawks will open the invitational against FIU on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 8:30 a.m.
"It's exciting to get to compete this weekend," said first-year head coach
Russ Friedland, who came to ULM from East Carolina. "Our players are ready to see someone else across the net and put some of the things we've been working on over the past two weeks to work. The competition is going to be tough this weekend, playing two ranked programs, and we are ready."
ULM finished the 2017 season 19-11 (.620), led by graduate student
Rebecca Brown, who rounded out the year with a 21-7 overall record.
Brown and junior teammate
Catherine Griffith dominated pairs play in the No. 1 spot. The duo came out victorious in 20-of-23 matches, losing only to Spring Hill College, LSU and UCA. Brown and Griffith put together a 15-match winning streak in mid-season.
"We've been working a lot on the little things, taking care of the controllables, and mentally preparing for each point," Friedland said. "Cat and Becca are back at it together for this weekend, looking to continue their streak, which they carry from last year. I'm just really excited to see all our pairs compete, from top to bottom. It will be a fun weekend."
Of the opponents from this weekend, the Warhawks played both Houston Baptist and Texas A&M-Kingsville last season.
The Warhawks will open up the season against FIU on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. ULM and FIU last met in 2016 when the Panthers defeated the Warhawks, 4-1.
The Panthers finished the 2017 season with a 24-15 overall record, and advanced to their first-ever Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Tournament Championship match.
HBU and ULM will meet for the first time this season on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
The Warhawks beat the Huskies of Houston Baptist in two of three meetings last year, claiming a 3-2 victory in March and then a 3-2 win in April.
Sophomore
Grace Convey and junior
Bailey Smith were one of three pairs to walk away with a win, defeating HBU's Danielle Wheeler and Madison O'Brien (21-17, 21-14).
The Warhawks will battle No.13 TCU on Sunday at 1 p.m. ULM and TCU went toe-to-toe in 2016 before the Warhawks fell to the Horned Frogs, 5-0.
ULM wraps up the weekend tournament against Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas on Sunday at 3 p.m.
The Warhawks swept Texas A&M-Kingsville last year, defeating them on three separate occasions (5-0, 4-1, 5-0). Warhawk juniors
Gabby Love, Smith and Griffith all claimed set wins in the match.
In addition to his seven returners, Friedland has four fresh faces on the sand this year:
Taylor Meyer,
McKenna Webster,
Kayla Gallant, and
Maile Sellers.
Gallant, a Cambridge, Ontario, product earned junior girls volleyball MVP, junior girls volleyball Coaches Award and senior girls volleyball MVP during her years at Jacob Hespeler Secondary School.
Friedland's freshman come from all over the United States. Meyer is the closest of signees, reigning from New Orleans, Louisiana. Webster and Sellers are from Colorado and California, respectively, and Gallant rounds out the incoming class all the way from Canada.
After returning from Fort Worth, the Warhawks will travel to New Orleans for the UNO Beach Volleyball Invitational on March 2-3.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Warhawks on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @ULM_BeachVB. Full tournament schedule and information can be found at GoFrogs.com/sports/w-svolley.
