ALBANY, N.Y. - The UAlbany women's volleyball team is set to open the 2022 season on the road with a tournament hosted by James Madison University.
 
MATCH INFORMATION
 
JMU Invitational
SITE: Sinclair Gymnasium - Harrisonburg, Va.
RECORDS:
                UAlbany 0-0, 0-0 America East
                Kent State 0-0, 0-0 MAC
                James Madison 0-0, 0-0 Sun Belt
                Robert Morris 0-0, 0-0 Horizon League
STREAM: not available
 
Kent State vs UAlbany
DATE: Friday, August 26
TIME: 10:00 AM
SERIES RECORD: 2-0, Kent State leads
STATS: JMUSports.com
 
UAlbany at James Madison
DATE: Friday, August 26
TIME: 7:00 PM
SERIES RECORD: 1-0, James Madison leads
STATS: JMUSports.com
 
Robert Morris v UAlbany
DATE: Saturday, August 27
TIME: 4:00 PM
SERIES RECORD: 1-0, UAlbany leads
STATS: JMUSports.com
 
GREAT DANE REWIND

• With an 8-4 America East record, the Great Danes headed to Baltimore, Md. as the second seed for the 2021 America East Championship Tournament.
• After defeating New Hampshire in three sets to advance, UAlbany took on the host, UMBC. The Retrievers came back from a two-set deficit to win the championship.
• A fifth-year student-athlete, Danielle Tedesco led the team in the postseason. Along with her America East Player of the Year honor, she was named Honorable Mention All-American and All-East Region by the AVCA.
• The Great Danes return eight student-athletes, including three starters, and add nine newcomers - Cassidy Bloom, Sadie Brown, Zeynep Ertam, Kaleigh Fitzgerald, Alexa Harris, Brooke Malek, Anna Myhal, Macey Salvione, and Zosia Szczotkiewicz.
• Of those who saw court time last season, Charlotte Macken returns after leading the team in digs per set (4.14) and service aces (37). The team's primary setter, Malea Stanton, is also returning.

 
ABOUT KENT STATE

• The Flashes will open their 2022 campaign against the Great Danes.
• Kent State returns to action after closing the 2021 season on senior day with a win over Ohio. The Flashes had worked towards a 12-18 record with a 7-11 league record.
• Savannah Matthews and Erin Gardner are the team's top returning offensive and defensive players. Matthews finished second on the team with 2.59 kills per set while Gardner led the team with 5.10 digs per set. 
• Also returning from 2021 are each of the Flashes' top players in blocks, assists, and service aces. This includes blocker Danie Tyson (107.0 blocks), setter Alex Haffner (9.99 assists per set), and Gracey Jarecke (0.22 aces per set).

 
SERIES AGAINST THE FLASHES

• Kent State leads the all-time series, 2-0.
• The Flashes took the first match win in 2001 in three sets while the most recent contest saw a five-set loss for UAlbany in 2015.

 
ABOUT JAMES MADISON

• The Dukes open the season hosting their own invitational. They will begin 2022 against UAlbany on Friday, August 26.
• James Madison returns to competition after a season that saw 17 wins and seven losses. In conference, JMU went 11-5.
• The team closed the season at Hofstra, splitting the weekend 1-1 with the Pride.
• The Dukes return their top players in all but one of the major statistical categories - hitter Miëtte Veldman (4..09 kills per set), setter Caroline Dozier (9.70 assists per set), blocker Sophie Davis (107.0 blocks), and Madilyn O'Toole (27 service aces). JMU's Savannah Marshall will not return after leading the team with 3.68 digs per set.

 
SERIES AGAINST THE DUKES

• UAlbany and James Madison have met just once before, in 2013.
• The Dukes took the three-set win.

 
ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS

• The Colonials will return to action following a season that saw a 9-21 record with a 2-16 league record.
• Robert Morris closed the season with two five-set matches at home on Nov. 12 (UIC) and Nov. 14 (Green Bay).
• Leading the team in 2021 in kills per set (2.18), Abby Ryan will return for her junior season. The Colonials also return their leading defensive player - Allena Carmody led the team with 3.40 digs per set.
• Despite losing their top blocker, Robert Morris has returned their top server, Emma Granger (56 service aces), and their top setter, Ashleigh Wallin (5.84 assists per set).

 
SERIES AGAINST THE COLONIALS

• UAlbany and Robert Morris have met just once before, in 2003.
• The Great Danes won the four-set match.

 
UP NEXT

• After competing at the JMU Invitational, the Great Danes will continue on the road at the Kristen Dickmann Invitational, hosted by Navy.

 
For more information on the University at Albany volleyball team, follow the squad's official social media accounts shown below.
Twitter - @ualbanyvb
Instagram - @ualbanyvb
Facebook – facebook.com/UAlbanyVB