LIVE LINKS: Live Stats | Video

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Davenport University women's volleyball program takes to Florida this week to begin season No. 6 as a member of the GLIAC and campaign No. 4 under the leadership of head coach, Brian Netzler. The Panthers will play four matches in two days as part of the Flagler Saints Invitational in St. Augustine, Fla. DU will face Embry-Riddle, Flagler, Newberry, and UNC Pembroke, each of which will be the first time in program history.

Starting with Embry-Riddle, the Eagles are coming off a season in which they went 26-7 overall, 15-5 in Sunshine State Conference (SSC) play and fell to No. 5 West Florida in the South Regional semifinals, their second-straight regional appearance. ERAU was picked to finish second in the SSC for 2022 and return 10 players including AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and SSC Freshman of the Year, Jaden McBride (outside hitter), as well as Second Team All-Conference selection, Cameron Gilleland (outside hitter).

Flagler, a member of the Peach Belt Conference (PBC), went 21-6 overall in 2021, including a perfect 10-0 in PBC play, with its final match being a loss to Wingate in the Southeast Regional. The Saints were picked to win the PBC in 2022 with a trio of preseason All-Conference honorees including outside hitter Jordan Berglin, middle hitter Logan Garcia and setter Kennedy Muff. 2021 marked the first time a PBC team went undefeated in the conference regular season since 2013. Flagler has won or shared the regular season league title eight times including the last three in a row.

Newberry, a 12-14 team overall and 6-12 South Atlantic Conference (SAC) record in 2021, was voted seventh in the SAC preseason poll for this fall. The Wolves return their leader in sets from a year ago, setter Avery Webb (90 sets played), with outside hitter Taylor Hall, their top returner in attacks (776 swings), and middle blocker Margaret McMahaon, their top returner in block assists (41), also back.

UNC Pembroke out of the Conference Carolinas (CC) went 23-11 last fall and 14-3 in within the CC. The Braves were selected to finish second in the Conference Carolinas for this season. UNCP is fresh off of a 2021 season that saw it register its most conference victories in school history. The 23 overall victories were the most for the program since the 2006 campaign. The Braves return their team leaders in kills, Shannon Skryd (343 kills), assists, Katie Pressley (1,027 assists), digs, Elise Martin (443 digs), and blocks, Brianna Warren (124 blocks).

Story by: Cooper Weidenthaler