Volleyball Season Preview: Privateers Start With Brief Non-Conference Weekend

WHERE TO WATCH
LIVE STATS (TULANE)
LIVE STATS (USM)
VIDEO (C-USA.TV)

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers open up their volleyball season with two non-conference matches against Tulane and Southern Miss in Hattiesburg. The matches begin at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. respectively at Reed-Green Coliseum.
 
A LOOK AT THE TEAM
The Privateers bring back several returners. Lucie Pokorna was First Team Preseason All-Southland after she led the conference in assists per set as a freshman. Pokorna was named to three all-tournament teams in her debut season on the Lakefront.
 
Sh'Diamond Holly and Shelby Pullins both landed in the top ten in blocks per set last season. Holly started 23 matches and finished third on the team with 194 kills last season. Pullins finished with 104 kills in 22 matches in the 2019 campaign.
 
Trinity Jackson, Hannah Volpi, Chloe Hampton, and Nia St. Cyr bring a lot of match play and experience as returners from their first seasons with the program in 2019. Jackson had her first collegiate double-double in last season's win against Southern Miss. Volpi had 102 total digs and played in 85 sets as a freshman. Hampton had 64 kills in 14 matches last year and had double digit kills twice against Mercer and HBU. St. Cyr led the team in kills with 11 during the fall intrasquad scrimmage.
 
NEW TO THE PROGRAM
The Privateers have eight new student-athletes on the roster including several transfers from Division I programs. Sheilah Purcell, Atira Jells, Samantha Gioiosa, and Alexis Parrish bring previous collegiate experience. Kai Williams, Rani Williams, Kolbi Reed, and Maite Solabarrieta are all true freshmen in their first season with the Privateers.
 
Jells and Kai Williams both prepped locally at Cabrini. Rani Williams was twice voted all-district and Reed was all-state honorable mention in high school. Solabarrieta becomes the second international student-athlete on the squad, hailing from Chile where she earned an academic excellence award.
 
Purcell was First Team all-district, all-conference, and an all-star invitee in her senior season at Centerville. Gioiosa was a standout in volleyball and track. Parrish set her school's record for most blocks in a season at University.
 
QUOTES FROM COACH VAN NORDEN
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to compete. What feels like a long awaited opportunity is now just days away. Although we are a very young team, I believe that we are prepared to compete."
 
"We understand we will need to handle first contact well to keep our offense fast and I believe our defense will be a strength for us."
 
"Overall, I'm looking for strong performances from our core returners to lead the way."
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Privateers are 25-10 all-time against Southern Miss and 23-63 vs. Tulane. New Orleans defeated Southern Miss in three sets last season at the USM Invitational.