BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University volleyball team will be kicking off its 2022 season Friday with the Katrinka Crawford Invitational. The two-day, five-team tournament will consist of LU, Idaho State, Prairie View A&M, Southeastern Louisiana and Tulane. It also marks the beginning of two new eras for the Red and White – or to be more specific a new era and a return to an old era – first it's the start of Big Red's return to the Southland Conference – the league it helped create – and second is the start of the Brandon Crisp era.
 
The Cardinals enter the season looking to bounce back from a disappointing 4-22 (.154) mark that saw them go winless in Western Athletic Conference matches and drop their final 13 contests of last season. Big Red picked up a win in last season's Katrinka Crawford Invitational and came up just short in their other two matches.
 
The Katrinka Crawford Invitational will have a slightly different look to it in 2022. Although there will be five teams competing not every team will play each other. The Cardinals will close out the first day with a contest against Idaho State (7 p.m.) and will return to the court for the final match of the tournament Saturday against Tulane (4 p.m.). All matches will be played at McDonald Gym.
 
The Bengals were 7-21 (.250) last season with three of their wins coming in Big Sky Conference play. ISU struggled down the stretch dropping 12 of their final 13 matches to close out the year.
 
Tulane finished the 2021 season with an 18-14 (.562) campaign and went 11-9 in American Athletic Conference play to finish sixth overall. The Green Wave had a roller coaster of a ride to close out the 2021 season winning three of their final seven, and rotated wins and losses in their final six matches. Tulane struggled on the road in 2021 posting a 6-7 mark but went 4-3 in neutral sited matches.
 
The other two teams in the tournament – Prairie View A&M and Southeastern Louisiana – won't square off against the Cardinals this weekend but Big Red will face them multiple times later in the year. The Cards will tangle with PVAMU in back-to-back matches on Sept. 14th and 16^th, and the Cardinals will meet the Lions as they renew their rivalry in Southland Conference play.
 
The first match of the tournament will take place Friday at 10 a.m. and it will be between Idaho State and Prairie View A&M. It will begin at 10 a.m. from McDonald Gym.