SAN MARCOS, Texas — Texas State volleyball will host North Texas and #13 Houston in the Texas State Invitational to open the 2023 season's home slate for the Bobcats. The Bobcats will see North Texas first, on Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m. inside Strahan Arena.

MATCH INFO:
Aug. 31 | Texas State vs. North Texas
6:30 PM (CT) | Strahan Arena
No TV stream, radio broadcast on KTSW
 
Sept. 2 | Texas State vs #13 Houston 
4 PM | Strahan Arena
Stream: ESPN+
 
HISTORY:
North Texas: Last time the TXST hosted North Texas the Bobcats won 3-0 on 3/25/21. The Bobcats lost their last road meeting 3-0 on 2/22/2021. 

Houston: The Bobcats are on a four-game winning streak against Houston. The Bobcats have not lost to the Cougars since 2008. They haven't lost at home since Sept. 10, 1996. 
 
NOTES TO KNOW:
Preseason Polls: The Bobcats were selected to finish second place in the West Division in the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Poll. The Bobcats were selected third overall in the conference behind reigning league champions James Madison and South Alabama. The Bobcats received three first place votes.

Leave No Doubt: The Bobcats 2023 team mantra headed into the year is 'leave no doubt' which just is a reminder to leave it all on the court. After back-to-back second place finished and narrowly missed at-large bids, the Bobcats want people to know they belong in the postseason play and they'll make sure it's in their hands that they get there.

New Kids on the Block: Texas State welcomes seven new members to the squad for the 2023 season including four freshmen and three transfers.

• Graduate transfer KJ Johnson joins the Bobcats after two years at Baylor and two years at Fairfield. In her two seasons at Fairfield, she was a two-time All American and two-time MAAC Player of the Year 
• Newcomer Carlee Pharris joined the Bobcats in the Spring of 2023 after redshirting her freshman season at TCU.
• Sophie Childs joins the Bobcats after transferring from Wichita State in Spring of 2023. The 6'3 outside hitter played in 36 matches over her three seasons with Wichita State, one of which was an abbreviated season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Bobcats welcome four freshmen: Ally Adair, Brooke Bentke, Zenai Jethroe and Lana Tello.

Last Season Rewind: The Bobcats finished the 2022 season first place in the West Division with a 24-7 record, going 14-2 in conference play. The team made an appearance in the Sun Belt Conference Championship game, losing to James Madison 3-1 and narrowly missing on an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. 

Returning to the Mix: The Bobcats are returning one starter from the 2022 season, libero Jackie Lee. Lee started 19 matches and played 70 sets paired with 255 digs, 61 assists and 16 service aces.

Also returning are senior Megan Woods, junior Alyssa Ortega and sophomores Maggie Walsh, Bailey Hanner and Jade Defraeye. Walsh and Ortega made big impacts off the bench for the Bobcats in the 2022 season. Both played in more than 25 matches seeing 60+ sets apiece in the 2022 season. The pair and Lee spearhead the Bobcats returners this season.

Meet the Staff: Head Coach Sean Huiet and Associate Head Coach Keith Anderson return to lead the staff with some new help. Huiet starts his fourth season at the helm of the program after serving as an assistant coach for 15 seasons prior. He enters the season with a 77-29 all-time record. 

Former graduate assistant Charli Fouts was promoted to assistant coach in the spring of 2023 and will stay for her first season in her new role, third overall on the staff.
 
Also joining the mix as an assistant coach is former Conference-USA stand-out Carly Graham. The three-time C-USA Player of the Year and All-American joins the Bobcats staff for her first season.
 
Rounding out the staff is Director of Operations Peejay Brun and graduate assistant Hope Hodges. Brun is in her 10^thseason working at Texas State, but first on Huiet's staff. The Hawaii native spent nine seasons with softball head coach Ricci Woodard as an assistant coach, a role she will do in tandem with volleyball operations this season.

Player of the Week: In her first week as a Bobcat, graduate KJ Johnson earned her first Sun Belt weekly award, being named the conferences Offensive Player of the Week.

Up Next:
Texas State will host Cal, Abilene Christian and Southeastern Louisiana in the Bobcat Classic. Opening the Classic, the Bobcats will face Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 7^th at 6 p.m.

Follow us:
For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasStateVball on Twitter, @TxStateVolleyball on Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can also be at @TxStateBobcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.