BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic volleyball will kick off the 2024 season this weekend as the Owls host their annual Florida Atlantic Invitational on Friday & Saturday, Aug. 30-31. Admission to all matches is free.
The Owls open the season on Friday, Aug. 30 against Bryant at 12 p.m. and then finish their opening day against Seton Hall at 7 p.m. Florida Atlantic wraps up their season-opening weekend on Saturday, Aug. 31, taking on Ball State in the Florida Atlantic Invitational finale at 1 p.m.
- Florida Atlantic volleyball's 2024 squad features 10 returners and six newcomers.
- The Owls return five of their top six hitters from the 2023 season, including AAC Second Team All-Conference honoree Valeria Rosado, as well as Katelynn Robine, Kaila Ru, Romina Cornelio, and Madison Dyer.
- Rosado led the Owls in double-doubles with 10 and ranked second on the team in kills (275), averaging 2.33 kills per set, and digs (303), averaging 2.57 digs per set.
- Robine ranked third on the Owls in kills (256), averaging 2.35 kills per set, while Ru, Cornelio, and Dyer, ranked third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, tallying 211, 168, and 139 kills a season ago. Ru was the Owls' blocks leader in 2023, recording a team-high 93 blocks.
- Victoria Hensley is the Owls returning assists leader, tallying a team-best 1,106 assists and averaging 9.22 per set.
- The Owls also return their dominant libero in Isabelle Northam, who recorded a team-leading 477 digs, averaging 3.98 digs per set in 2023.
- Bryant finished 19-12 overall and 6-4 in America East play in 2023.
- The Bulldogs return kill leaders Aubrey Lapour, Arianna Ugolini, Brookelyn Talmadge, and Morgan Smith. Lapour led Bryant in kills last season with 370, averaging 3.36 per set, and Ugolini finished a close second with 362 kills, tallying 3.35 kills per set. Talmadge and Smith tallied 1.92 and 1.62 kills per set in 2023 for the Bulldogs, while also leading the team in blocks with 0.89 and 0.79 blocks per set, respectively.
- Carolina Camacho and Madison Koeller were Bryant's leading setters in 2023, averaging 5.34 and 4.01 assists per set, respectively.
- Seton Hall finished 14-15 and 8-10 in Big East play in 2023.
- The Pirates return two of their top four hitters from last season, including Perri Lucas, who ranked second on the team in kills with 227, and Hanna Tulli, who ranked fourth with 148 kills.
- Tulli also led the Pirates in blocks, alongside Asli Subasili in 2023, tallying 95 blocks each.
- Maddie Klungel led Seton Hall in assists last season, dishing out 507 assists, averaging 4.83 per set.
- Seton Hall's digs leader last season was Rylee Nelson, who returns after recording a team-high 278 digs, averaging 2.99 digs per set.
- Ball State went 17-15 and 13-5 in MAC play last season.
- The Cardinals return two of their top three hitters from 2023, bringing back kills leader Aniya Kennedy, who tallied 470 kills, averaging 4.12 per set, and Madison Buckley, who ranked third on the team with 290 kills, averaging 2.42 per set. Buckley led the Cardinals in blocks a season ago, recording a team-high 96, while Camryn Wise led the team in blocks per set (1.09) and posted a team second-best 93 total blocks.
- Ball State's main setter was Megan Wielonski, who returns after dishing out a team-best 1,269 assists, averaging 10.58 assists per set. Wielonski is also the Cardinals' returning digs leader, ranking second on the team with 296 digs, averaging 2.47 per set in 2023.
- The Owls remain in Paradise as they host rival FIU for a midweek matchup on Tuesday, Sept. 3. First serve is set for 6 p.m. inside Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.
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