CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel volleyball team opens the 2019 season on the road this weekend at the Penguin Classic, hosted by Youngstown State. The Bulldogs start the tournament Friday, Aug. 30 with a match against Bucknell at 4:30 pm. They'll finish the weekend with two matches Saturday, Aug. 31, taking on Saint Francis at 10 a.m. and then host, Youngstown State, at 3 p.m.
 
#BATTLEREADY (ABOUT THE CITADEL)
The Bulldogs start the 2019 season with a roster that features a mix of returners and newcomers. The Citadel returns four of its top six hitters, as well as its setter and libero. "We have a large group of freshman that bring a really big shot of energy in the gym," said Zelenock. "They are a little nervous, but our returners are doing a really good job of helping them learn everything. The returners know what we expect. They know our language and are so much better at communicating that to the freshman than I could have imagined."
 
The Citadel vs opposition (The history)
This weekend's matches at the Penguin Classic will be the first-ever meeting between the 'Dogs and all three of their opponents.
 
SCOUTING The Bison
The Bison of Bucknell return this season after finishing their 2018 campaign with an 8-19 overall record and 3-13 in the Patriot League. Bucknell may be sporting a younger roster but the entire lineup returns this season. The Bison have a solid group returning as their leaders in kills per set, assists per set, digs per set and blocks per set are all back from the 2018 squad. Sophie Bullard, Mimi Richards and Bridgette Holland each averaged at least 2.1 kills per set in 2018, and Richards was also the leader with 1.09 blocks per set. Bullard averaged a team-best 2.48 kills per set while adding 3.19 digs per set.
Bucknell was picked to finish seventh out of nine teams in the Patriot League preseason poll.
 
SCOUTING The Red Flash
Last season, Saint Francis had three players finish in the top 10 in the league in kills for the first time in program history. Two are back in sophomores Madi Tyus and Nicole Adams who combined for the second most kills in the conference among all duos. Madi Tyus earned NEC Second Team All-Conference, tying-for-second among all NEC players in kills. A three-time NEC Rookie of the Week, Tyus had the first 20-20 game in nearly a decade when she posted 21 kills and 25 digs against Central Connecticut. She topped 10 kills in 19 matches this season and had at least 15 kills 11 times. The Red Flash will look for a much faster start to the season than in 2018 when it started 0-10.
 
SCOUTING The Penguins
Youngstown State adds seven newcomers and two more players who missed all of 2018 with injuries as it looks to improve on a 7-22 record in 2018. There will be plenty of new contributors as only five of the 18 players on the roster appeared in more than 45 sets (out of a possible 104) last season. Aline Scott enters her second season as YSU's head coach, and she's joined by first-year assistants Destiny Clark, Kajetan Borecki and McKenzie Reese. Outside hitters Aleah Hughes and Margaux Thompson were two of the top six-rotation players in the conference in 2018. Hughes, one of four seniors on the 2019 squad, was one of two players to rank in the top 10 in the Horizon League in both kills and digs per set. Thompson, a junior, was just outside the top 10 in both categories. Hughes averaged 2.70 kills per set and 3.87 digs per set, and Thompson registered 2.46 kills and 3.56 digs per set.
 
COMING UP
Next week, the 'Dogs will play a pair of games Monday and Wednesday at McAlister Field House, including in-town foe College of Charleston on Monday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. The Citadel will host North Carolina Central on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. before hitting the road for Buies Creek, N.C. for the Comfort Inn Fuquay Invitational, hosted by Campbell.
 
FIFTEEN VOLLEYBALL MATCHES TO APPEAR ON ESPN+ OR ESPN3
Fifteen of The Citadel's contests will be streamed live on either ESPN+ or ESPN3 this season. Eight of the Bulldogs' home games will be carried on ESPN+, while three home games will appear on ESPN3.
 
The games that will appear on ESPN3 will include Samford (Sept. 28), Wofford (Oct. 16) and Furman (Nov. 1).
 
Both ESPN3 and ESPN+ can be accessed via the ESPN App across most internet-connected media devices, or on ESPN.com.
 
JOIN THE CITADEL BRIGADIER FOUNDATION
Membership in The Citadel Brigadier Foundation is open to alumni and friends of The Citadel who are interested in supporting Bulldog athletics. By joining, you provide annual charitable contributions that fund scholarships for cadet-student-athletes. Supporters interested in joining TCBF or for more information, please click HERE.
 
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For more information and score updates on The Citadel volleyball team, please visit CitadelSports.com or follow @CitadelVB on Twitter and @CitadelVolleyball on Instagram.