SAN MARCOS, Texas – The 2021 season is here and the Texas State volleyball team will hit the ground running at the Dayton Invitational in Dayton, Ohio Aug. 27-28. The Bobcats will open the season with a doubleheader on Friday, Aug. 27 beginning with a 10:30 match against the reigning NCAA Champions, No. 3 Kentucky at the Frericks Center, before ending the day with a 7 p.m. contest against Cincinnati at the UD Arena. TXST will conclude the opening weekend with a 2 p.m. match against RV Dayton at the Frericks Center.
 
The Bobcats are receiving 11 votes in the AVCA Preseason Top 25 Poll and were picked to win the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference. Three Bobcats were named to the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Team, including senior setter Emily DeWalt, senior outside hitter Janell Fitzgerald, and senior middle blocker Tyeranee Scott. DeWalt and Fitzgerald was also named Sun Belt Conference Setter and Offensive Player of the Year, respectively.
 
TXST comes off a 31-9 season which featured the program's third consecutive Sun Belt Conference Tournament title and the club's second victory all-time in an NCAA Tournament match by defeating Utah Valley 3-1 in the first round. The Bobcats return all their starting players from last season and adds three newcomers highlighted by Big 10 transfer and senior outside hitter Jada Gardner (Maryland).
 
RECORD WATCH
Entering the 2021 season, DeWalt has 3,967 total assists which rank No. 5 all-time in the program's record book. Kristy Braun (1991-94) is the program's all-time assist leader with 5,517 helpers. Scott currently ranks No. 3 all-time with a .325 career hitting percentage. Both Amber Calhoun (2008-11) and Kacee Rogers (2001-04) sit atop the record book in this category with a .331 career hitting percentage.
 
SCOUTING KENTUCKY
No. 3 Kentucky enters the season on an eight-match winning streak, including a 3-1 decision over Texas to win the 2020 NCAA National Championship. Overall, the Wildcats went 24-1 on the year which featured a 10-0 record at home and a 5-0 record in neutral site matches.  
 
The Wildcats are picked to win the Southeastern Conference for the fifth consecutive year and has three Preseason All-SEC selections in sophomore outside hitter Madi Skinner, senior outside hitter Alli Stumler, and junior middle blocker Azhani Tealer.
 
The Bobcats and Wildcats will meet for the second time in program history. The first meeting was a 3-1 victory for UK on Aug. 9, 2018, in Strahan Arena.  
 
SCOUTING CINCINNATI
The Bearcats will return to a full volleyball schedule after playing a total of 13 matches last season, posting a 6-7 overall record and 4-4 mark in The American Athletic Conference (AAC). Cincinnati lost its last four matches this season, but the last full season they played in 2019, the Bearcats went 27-7 overall and was 15-1 in league play to win the AAC regular-season title and reached the NCAA Sweet 16.
 
TXST and Cincinnati will also play for the second time in program history with the last meeting dating back to Aug. 2, 2017. The Bobcats pulled off a thrilling five-set victory in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Cintas Center.
 
SCOUTING DAYTON
Dayton is receiving 25 votes in the AVCA Preseason Top 25 Poll after posting a 14-2 overall record and an 8-1 mark in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Flyers won the A-10 Championship for the third consecutive season and made their 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
 
The team will be led by 2020 Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year senior outside hitter Jamie Peterson and A-10 Setter of the Year Bridget Doherty, along with two other All-Atlantic 10 selections and two All-rookie A-10 honorees.
 
Saturday's match between the Bobcats and Flyers will be the first meeting between the two programs.   
 
 
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