FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Indiana Tech volleyball team begins their 2016 season with a trip to the Sunshine State this weekend as they take part in the St. Thomas Invitational.
 
Indiana Tech (0-0)
 
Friday, Aug. 26, 10 a.m. vs. (RV) Coastal Georgia (2-2) – Miami Gardens, Fla. (Fernandez Family Center)
Friday, Aug. 26, 2 p.m. vs. #2 Missouri Baptist (3-0) – Miami Gardens, Fla. (Fernandez Family Center)
Saturday, Aug. 27, 12 p.m. at St. Thomas (3-0) – Miami Gardens, Fla. (Fernandez Family Center)
Saturday, Aug. 27, 4 p.m. vs. Xavier University of Louisiana (1-3) – Miami Gardens, Fla. (Fernandez Family Center)
 
Follow Along: Links to live stats and video for every match of the tournament can be found at IndianaTechWarriors.com. Video will be provided by Stretch Internet's Game Central Portal and St. Thomas. You can also follow the action on Twitter by following @IndianaTechVB and @INTechWarriors.
 
Wrapping Up Last Year: The Warriors finished the 2015 season with a 22-16 record overall and went 13-9 in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) action, placing them in a tie for fourth place as they wound up with the fifth seed in the conference tournament, where they fell to regular season and eventual tournament champion Lourdes, who was undefeated and ranked 18^th in the nation at that point. It was the best finish by the Orange and Black since 2012.
 
Head Coach Kourtney Wilson: Now entering her fifth year at the helm for the Indiana Tech volleyball team, head coach Kourtney Wilson holds a 77-57 record, the second most wins in program history. She has coached 19 WHAC All-Academic team members, 12 All-Conference selections, 10 NAIA Scholar-Athletes, two All-Freshman team selections and one NAIA All-American in Kelsey Cox.
 
Scouting the Opposition: Coastal Georgia – The Mariners opened their season on Aug. 19 with the Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) Tournament, where they went 2-2 against top flight competition, as three of the four teams they faced where either receiving votes or were ranked in the Preseason Top 25 Poll. Kyra White leads the team with 59 kills and 3.5 kills per set while hitting .411 and had 19 total blocks.
 
Missouri Baptist – The Spartans come to the Sunshine State with a perfect 3-0 record and the number two ranking in the NAIA Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll after going 39-5 last year and falling to Columbia College in the NAIA National Tournament Championship match. Mallory Dillon leads the team in kills (37) and service aces (6) and is hitting .305.
 
St. Thomas – The Bobcats went 3-0 in their opening invitational at home and this is the second consecutive weekend they will host a volleyball invitational. Whitney Battoe leads the team with 33 kills while Hailey Bannister tops the team in digs with 49.
 
Xavier of Louisiana – The Gold Nuggets went 1-3 to start their season at the Hotel Indigo at the Alamo Saints Classic, but ended their opening weekend with a 3-1 win over Tennessee Wesleyan while Juliana Tomasoni broke the school record for kills in a match with 25 against No. 20 Evangel.
 
Who's Back: First-Team All-Conference selections Cassie Sarabia and Taylor Kelso lead a talented Warriors group, which features 13 upperclassmen, including six sophomores, led by WHAC All-Freshman Team honoree Gabby Staggs. Senior outside hitter Jazmin Alexander is ready to take on a bigger load while starting setter Karli Jones is also back in the fold.
 
Who's New: Wilson brought in four freshmen and one junior college transfer in Brandi Huesman, who ranks first in career aces at Fort Scott Community College while holding the fourth-most career digs and fourth-most career kills in program history.
 
First of Many: The Warriors will take part in five invitationals this season, including two on their home court. Following this weekend's St. Thomas Invitation, the Orange and Black will head south to Marion for the Indiana Wesleyan Invitational the following weekend. Tech will take part in the Panther Invitational, hosted by Davenport on Sept. 23-24 while hosting the Warrior Invitational (Sept. 9-10) and the annual Liz Lykowksi Memorial Tournament (Oct. 14-15).