Kick off the Season: High Point Volleyball Shines at the doTERRA Classic – An Exciting Start for High Point University Athletics!

High Point Volleyball Kicks Off Season in Utah

High Point volleyball starts its regular season this year in Utah, once again participating in the doTERRA Classic at Brigham Young University. The Panthers will face three teams over two days: Central Michigan University, Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), and No. 19 BYU.

The action begins on Friday, August 29, with a doubleheader. High Point plays Central Michigan at 12:00 pm ET and then FDU at 6:30 pm ET. On Saturday, August 30, they wrap up the weekend against BYU at 6:00 pm ET.

HPU is bringing back eight players from last year’s Big South Championship team. Allie Gray, who earned Honorable Mention in the Big South all-conference team, is a key player to watch. She averaged 7.55 assists per game last season, making her one of the top players in the league. Freshman Remy Catojo will support her in this role. Kea Whillock and Brooke Briscoe are set to anchor the defense. Élodie Lalonde is expected to make a strong impact on the outside as she enters her sophomore year. The team also added nine new players this year, including three transfers and six freshmen.

Matchup Insights:

High Point vs. Central Michigan
This will be the first-ever match between High Point and Central Michigan. The Chippewas, part of the Mid-American Conference, ranked third in their preseason poll. Their seniors Abby Olin and Natalia Rejment were named to the Preseason All-MAC team. Rejment had a standout performance last season, averaging 2.65 kills and 3.09 digs per set. Central Michigan returns 11 players from 2024 under new head coach Arielle Wilson.

High Point vs. FDU
High Point will also face FDU for the first time. The Knights had an impressive 22-9 record last season, finishing strong in the Northeast Conference. Junior Avery Bain and senior Kylie Nott both received all-conference honors in 2024. Bain led the team with an average of 2.94 kills per set. Coach David Nguyen is entering his fourth season with FDU.

High Point vs. BYU
This will be the second consecutive matchup between High Point and BYU. Last season, the Panthers put up a good fight but ultimately lost 3-1. BYU finished 2024 with a 19-10 record and made it to the NCAA Tournament’s first round. They were picked first in the Big 12 preseason poll this year, with Claire Little Chambers named the preseason player of the year.

The Panthers are eager to capture victories against strong opponents this weekend. All games will be available for streaming on ESPN+, and fans can follow live updates on highpointpanthers.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @HPUVB.

With strong returning players and motivated newcomers, High Point Volleyball is ready to make its mark this season.

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