By: Mark Wasik
Friday, August 30
12 p.m. – Kennesaw State (0-0, 0-0 CUSA) vs Wichita State (0-0, 0-0 AAC)
Location: Convocation Center | Kennesaw, Ga.
Friday, August 30
7 p.m. – Kennesaw State (0-0, 0-0 CUSA) vs Indiana (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Location: Convocation Center | Kennesaw, Ga.
Saturday, August 31
3:30 p.m. – Kennesaw State (0-0, 0-0 CUSA) vs Wichita State (0-0, 0-0 AAC)
Location: Convocation Center | Kennesaw, Ga.
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State volleyball starts off the 2024 season by hosting a pair of 20+ win teams from a year ago, as Wichita State and Indiana will all make the trip down to the Convocation Center for the Kennesaw State Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Owls will start off against Wichita State at 12 p.m. on Friday, followed by a prime time match against IU at 7 p.m., while on Saturday, IU and Wichita State will face off at 11 a.m., and KSU closes out the day with a second match against the Shockers at 3:30 p.m.
Friday is College Colors Day, and fans are encouraged to wear their best and craziest black and gold gear to the Friday night game against IU, with an on-court competition and prize for the best dressed. There will also be schedule poster giveaways after both games against Wichita State. All three KSU games this weekend will be streamed live on ESPN+.
This will be the first meeting between KSU against both schools, while Schunzel does have a past connection with IU, having served on the Hoosiers staff as an assistant coach during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Indiana will be the sixth Power Four school to visit the Convo since 2021. KSU is 3-2 during that stretch against P4 teams, with wins over Alabama, Wake Forest and Mississippi State.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Junior outside hitter
Manu Johnsen, 2022 Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year and two-time All-ASUN selection, is the top returning Owl this season as she lead the Atlantic Sun in both kills and points per set a year ago while also ranking in the top 50 in the nation in both categories. She also paced the Owls in aces per game in 2023 as well. Middle blocker
Olivia Burrage and setter
Kourtney Brown also return for KSU after earning conference all-freshman honors a year ago, while senior
Caroline Cole is expected to play a big role in her final season with the Black and Gold.
SCOUTING THE SHOCKERS...
Wichita State is one of the preseason favorites in the American Athletic, as the Shockers are picked to finish second in the league behind Rice and picked up four first-place votes. Two players were named to the preseason All-AAC team for a Wichita State team that won 26 games a year ago on the way to the NIVC national championship title. Head coach Chris Lamb enters his 25th season leading the squad.
WSU will be paced this season by middle blocker Morgan Strout and setter Izzi Strand. Strout posted career-highs of 305 kills (2.42 kps) and 120 blocks (0.95 bps), while Strand averaged 10.47 assists per set (1,340 total).
SCOUTING THE HOOSIERS...
Indiana is a senior led squad entering the 2024 season with a total of seven seniors on the roster. The Hoosiers, who are receiving votes in the AVCA preseason Top 25 poll, also posted a 20+ win season a year ago after going 21-12 and finishing in sixth place in the Big Ten.
Leading the team is setter Camryn Haworth, preseason All-Big Ten selection who was also an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American a year ago after totaling 1,247 assists and 73 service aces.
