Match 1
Cal State Fullerton vs. Mississippi State
Match 2
Cal State Fullerton vs. South Carolina State
Match 3
Cal State Fullerton at Chattanooga
Dates: Friday, August 26-28
Times: 9:30 a.m. | 1:30 p.m. | 12 noon
Location: Chattanooga, Tenn.
Live Stats (Match 3): GoMocs.com
TITANS OPEN SEASON AT UT CHATTANOOGA TOURNAMENT
The 2016 Cal State Fullerton Titans will take the court for the first time this season at the UT Chattanooga Tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Titans kick off the year with a Friday match against Mississippi Valley State of the SWAC at 9:30 a.m. (PT). On Saturday, Cal State Fullerton will go up against South Carolina State of the MEAC in a 1:30 p.m. contest. The Titans close out the tourament against host Chattanooga on Sunday at 12 noon.
FOLLOW THE TITANS:
Fans can keep up with the latest in Titans athletics by following us on Facebook (FullertonTitans), Twitter (@FullertonTitans), Instagram (@FullertonTitans), and YouTube.com (YouTube.com/csfathletics). In addition, the volleyball team has established its own official Twitter page (@FullertonVB).
CATCH THE TITANS
Cal State Fullerton home volleyball matches will be broadcast live over the internet at FullertonTitans.com. The Titans also offer live streaming video for home volleyball matches courtesy of Big West TV. Fans can catch all the exclusive action from the comfort of their home computers. To access the links, click on the audio or live video links on the schedule page.
TICKETS
Tickets for all Titans home games can be purchased online at fullertontitans.com, or at the Cal State Fullerton Athletics Ticket Office, located in the Titan House on campus off of Gymnasium Drive on the northeast side of Titan Gym. Game day sales and will call tickets will open an hour prior to the scheduled time at the specific venue. All Cal State Fullerton students with a school ID get free admission.
A NEW YEAR
Second year head coach Ashley Preston returns to helm of the Titans volleyball program with a year of experience under her belt. After struggling with ann 0-28 overall record in a rebuilding year, Preston and her squad look to start things off strong with the return of three starters, seven total letterwinners and 10 newcomers.
YOUNG GUNS
The Cal State Fullerton coaching staff is one of the youngest in the nation as the three full-time coaches are a combined 92 years old. In addition, volunteer assistant Naseri Tumanuvao preps for his first season at Cal State Fullerton at 29 years of age.
FRIDAY, AUG. 26 VS. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE || 9:30 A.M.
Cal State Fullerton vs. Mississippi Valley State
Series Record: First Meeting
First Meeting: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A
Current Streak: N/A
Last 10 Meetings: N/A
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE NOTES
Mississippi Valley State finished the 2015 season with an overall record of 3-30 while struggling in the SWAC with an 0-7 conference ledger. This season the Deviletts welcome back defensive specialist Kalin Barnes who led the team with 419 digs to average 3.84 per set, while also posting 42 kills and 51 assists. Setter Brooklyn Hudson will also return to the court for the Devilettes as she averaged a team-leading 5.71 assists per set a year ago.
SATURDAY, AUG. 27 VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE || 1:30 P.M.
Cal State Fullerton vs. South Carolina State
Series Record: First Meeting
First Meeting: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A
Current Streak: N/A
Last 10 Meetings: N/A
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE NOTES
South Carolina State opens the 2016 season after posting a 4-19 overall record in 2015, while finishing with a 4-6 mark in the MEAC. The Bulldogs return leading scorer Brianna Dafney who led the squad last year with 197 kills to average 2.56 per game. She also contributed 17 service aces, 11 digs and 46.0 total blocks. Also coming back for the Bulldogs is Marcella Chestnut who led the team with 217 digs to average 2.78 per set.
SUNDAY, AUG. 28 AT CHATTANOOGA || 12 NOON
Cal State Fullerton at Chattanooga
Series Record: First Meeting
First Meeting: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A
Current Streak: N/A
Last 10 Meetings: N/A
CHATTANOOGA NOTES
Chattanooga returns nine letterwinners, including 2015 First Team All-SoCon honorees in seniors Allie Davenport and Kristy Wieser, after capturing the regular season Southern Conference championship last season for the first time since 1998. Additionally, the Mocs welcome six new additions to the team in 2016, consisting of five freshmen and a transfer from Montana State in junior Kasey Altman.
GETTING OFFENSIVE
The Titans return their top scorers from a year ago in sophomore Kyra Hill, junior Katelyn Nielsen and sophomore Summer Kerins. Hill led Cal State Fullerton last season with 221 kills to average 2.57 per set, while Nielsen contributed 2.18 kills per set and Kerins added 1.88. The trio are looking to continue their offensive prowess as they head into the 2016 season.
BLOCK PARTY
Sophomore middle blocker Kyra Smith, who led the Titans at the net last season as a freshman, will return to the court with one year of collegiate playing experience under her belt. The Inglewood, Calif., native finished her rookie season with 65 total blocks (22 solo, 43 assists) to average 0.92 blocks per set.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The Titans welcome 10 new faces to the gym this season. Here is a quick run down.
• Madisen Babich - Prepped at Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Ill., and was named to the All-Conference, All-Academic and All-State team as a senior. She is second in school history in digs.
• Meagan Carlson - A 2016 graduate of Damonte Ranch High School in Reno, Nev., she was named to the All-Sierra League First Team all three seasons and earned First Team All-North honors in her final two seasons with the team. As a senior, she finished with 219 kills and 2.9 per set average. Also dished out 32 assists and tallied 16 total blocks.
• Annie Ellis - A setter from Golden West College where she played beach volleyball, Ellis is a two-time All Orange Conference selection who also played volleyball at Georgia State and UC Riverside. In high school, she helped lead Colony High School to the Mt. Baldy League Championship in 2011 and 2012.
• Shimen Fayad - After redshirting the 2014 season, Fayad played in 35 matches and made 31 starts at Wichita State. She played in 122 sets and tallied 277 kills, good for a 2.27 per set average. She was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Tournament Team after hitting .333 (25-6-57) in two matches, helping lead the Shockers to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in nine years and ninth time overall. Fayad was named to the MVC All-Freshman Team.
• Delaney Goodrich - A transfer from St. Francis (Pa.), the middle blocker saw action in five matches with one start.She prepped at Los Osos High School where she was named the 2014 Baseline League Defensive Player of the Year and to the First Team all conference squad.
• Rachel Hall - A 2016 graduate of Huntington Beach High School, Hall earned Sunset League MVP honors during her junior and senior seasons. As a senior she was named First Team All-Orange County, First Team All-CIF as she averaged 10.4 assists and 4.6 digs per set, helping to lead the Oilers to a 28-9 overall record. She earned All-American honors and was also a scholar athlete, earning honorable mention.
• Aniya Henry - All-District Honorable Mention as a senior at Frisco High School where she tallied 164 kills and 112 blocks (76 solo) as a senior for the Raccoons. In two years, she tallied 201 blocks (102 solo) and 268 kills in 227 sets played (1.20 per set).
• Kellyn Mullaly - A libero and setter out of Golden West College, Mullaly was named First Team All-Orange Empire Conference and to the All-Region Team after averaging 5.23 digs per set.
• Madeline Schneider - Schneider joins the Titans as a transfer from UMBC after one season with the Retrievers. She was second on the team with 227 kills and 2.99 kills per set average. She also tallied 11 aces, 92 digs, 30 total blocks and was named to the America East All-Rookie Team.
• Torrey Tinney - Tinney transfered to Cal State Fullerton from Mississippi State where she appeared in 16 matches with five starts as a defensive specialist. Prior to her year at Mississippi State, she was a libero at La Costa Canyon High School (Calif.) where she helped her team to a 22-8 record and a showing in the championship match of the CIF San Diego Section Tournment in her senior year.