California Baptist University
Lipscomb University
The 2024 Volleyball Season Begins in Nashville for the LUV Invitational
8/28/2024 6:11:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
RIVERSIDE--- The 2024 California Baptist University volleyball season is set to get underway this weekend as the Lancers head to Nashville to compete at the Lipscomb Invitational.
CBU will face Lipscomb, Belmont, and #17 Arizona State in the Tournament, with their season opener being against host Lipscomb on Friday, August 30 at 4 PM PT. The most intriguing matchup of the tournament will come at its conclusion as the Lancers are set to battle #17 Arizona State on Sunday morning. The Sun Devils are the first ranked opponent the Lancers have faced in the DI era and are coming off a season in which they reached the Regional Semifinal of the NCAA Tournament (losing to #1 Stanford in four sets). A win over the Sun Devils would be the second Power 4 victory for CBU after they downed Oregon State in five sets last season and would be the first victory over a BIG 12 opponent.
The Lancers will head into this season with a healthy mix of new athletes and returners, with eight new players joining the Lancers this summer. Texas Tech Transfer Madison Gilliland, New Mexico Transfer Kali Wolf, and Iowa Transfer Amanda Darling figure to be contributors right away for CBU and bring plenty of DI experience with them. Among the returners are reigning Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year Nicole Mauser Mauser was third on the team in kills, hitting percentage, and blocks last season and will star at opposite hitter for the Lancers. Other key returners for CBU will be outside hitter Mia Jerue and middle blocker Laura Walewska, who led the team in aces and blocks last season.
Head Coach Branden Higa will be entering into his 13th season at the helm of CBU volleyball and will be leading the Lancers into its seventh season of DI competition.
The 2024 campaign officially gets underway on Friday, August 30 at 4 PM PT against Lipscomb Univeristy in Nashville, Tennessee.
