BEAUMONT, Texas — Lamar University volleyball kicks off the regular season at the Stetson Hatter Invitational Friday and Saturday in DeLand, Fla.

The Cardinals open the tournament with two matches on Day 1 beginning with Northern Illinois followed by Southern Miss.

LU closes things out with a match against the tourney host, Stetson.
Northern Illinois posted a 4-24 overall record in 2024 while it went 2-16 in Mid-American Conference action.

The Huskies return four upperclassmen to go along with the 12 underclassmen.

Sophomore outside hitter Ava Grevengoed led the offense with 305 kills and 35 service aces last fall.

On the defensive front, sophomore middle blocker Rylea Alvin recorded a team-high 68 total blocks (10 solo blocks, 58 block assists).

NIU's last winning season came in 2022 when it finished 17-11 overall and 10-8 in MAC play.

Despite not making the conference tournament, the program's last trip to the postseason came in 2021.

Head coach Sondra D'Amore enters her third season after spending five seasons as an assistant coach at Loyola University Chicago.
  Southern Miss wrapped up last fall with a 9-20 overall record while it went 5-10 in Sun Belt Conference play.

The Golden Eagles finished fifth in the west division to land a spot in the conference tournament for the third straight season.

In 2021, Southern Miss was invited to compete in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship tournament as it made it to the semifinals to cap off a 21-12 season.

This season, the Golden Eagles return six upperclassmen to go along with the 13 underclassmen.

The offense returns junior outside hitter Sadie McAda who led the team with 371 kills while junior libero Sunni Sheppard led the defense with 569 digs.

Head coach Jenny Hazelwood enters her fourth season at Southern Miss. This is her 18th year as a head coach after previously spending six seasons at Mississippi State.
 
Stetson wrapped up the 2024 season with a 5-22 overall record while it finished 2-14 in Atlantic Sun Conference play.

Stetson's last trip to the conference tournament came in 2023 after finishing 8-8 in league play. The last time the Hatters finished at .500 or better in conference play was in 2021 (8-8) and previously in 2019 (9-7).

The program's last winning season was in 2022, posting a 15-14 overall record.

Stetson returns six upperclassmen which includes three seniors. The program also has nine underclassmen.

Sophomore outside hitter Jenna Simmons ranked second on the team last fall in kills with 179.

Junior middle blocker Kayla Balfour led the defense with 100 total blocks (20 solo blocks and 80 block assists).

Head coach Yang Deng enters her eighth season at the helm, leading the program to a pair of winning seasons with the first occurring in 2018. LU vs. NIU: Second meeting … NIU won the first meeting over LU back on Sept. 8, 2011.

LU vs. Southern Miss: Third meeting … Both teams last met in 2021 and previously in 1997 as the Golden Eagles came out victorious both times.

LU vs. Stetson: Second meeting … The Cardinals won the first meeting in 1986 … LU is 11-7 against schools from the state of Florida. This will be the ninth time in program history since 2000 that the Cardinals travel to the east coast for a tournament.

LU has made trips the last two seasons to Norfolk, Va. and Miami, Fla.

The Cardinals have gone 15-15 during that span. The last time LU went undefeated at an east coast tourney was in 2010 at the Cornell Invitational in Ithaca, N.Y.
  2024 RECORD: 15-14 (7-9 in Southland Conference play)

HEAD COACH: Ariel Apolinario (Second season)

SEASON RECAP: The Cardinals began the season 8-4 after dropping their first three matches … LU won three of its final four games to solidify a spot in the Southland Conference tourney as the seventh seed … The Cardinals defeated McNeese in five sets to notch their first win over their rival since 2019 … LU posted its first winning record since 2009 while it also qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2011.

RETURNING LETTERMAN: 11

NEWCOMERS: 6

BREAKDOWN OF NEWCOMERS: 4 true freshmen / 2 transfers

KEY RETURNERS:

• Maja Malinowska (Led the team with 335 kills and 379 total points in 2024 while ranking second in digs with 288 to earn second-team All-Southland Conference honors)
• Lyric Jordan (Ranked second on the squad in kills with 317)
• Alexa Gonzalez (Tallied a team-high 857 assists and 40 service aces)
• Jo Moffitt (Ranked second on the team with 100 assists)
• Keeley Nellis (Tallied a team-high 421 digs while ranking second in service aces with 33 and third in assists with 55)
• Taisha Rhone (Finished third on the team with 230 digs)

THIS AND THAT: LU is trying to notch its first season-opening win since 2021 … The Cardinals haven't posted back-to-back winning seasons since 2008-2009 … LU recorded its 27th winning season in 2024 … This is the program's 52nd season since beginning in 1973 … The last time the Cardinals began the year 3-0 was in 2015 … LU captured its last Southland Conference tournament title in 2008 …  The Cardinals have won a total of five SLC titles with the other four happening in 1983, 1984, 2001 and 2007.