OPENING SERVE:
 
The Snow College women's volleyball team is set to begin its 2023 campaign at the UFirst Intermountain Invitational hosted by Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville, Utah. The Badgers will be taking on a quartet of opponents including three ranked foes.
 
Snow College will take on No. 1 Florida Southwestern State Friday at 10:00 a.m. in addition to No. 7 Trinity Valley Community College at 2:00 p.m.  Day two of the tournament will see the Badgers take on Daytona State College at 11:00 a.m. and will see them wrap up the first weekend of action against No. 3 Missouri State University-West Plains.
 
TAKING ON THE CHAMPS:
 
Snow College will take on the top dog in the nation and the reining 2022 NJCAA National Champion Florida Southwestern State in the opening match of the 2023 season.  The Buccaneers received all nine first-place votes to claim the top spot following a season that saw them go 27-1 en route to winning the National Title against No. 6 Miami Dade College.
 
Coupled with their lone loss of the season, the Bucs only went to five sets just once all year in a 3-2 victory over MDC.  FSW won 20 of its 27 matches of the season by way of the sweep, including sweeping its way through the National Tournament, culminating its title in a 3-1 victory over the Sharks.
 
The Bucs will return a handful of key pieces from last year's squad including 2022 NJCAA All-American Roberta Purashaj, who was also named to the National Tournament All-Tournament Team as a freshman a season ago.
 
FORMIDABLE FOES:
 
Snow College will also take on two other ranked opponents during the season's opening weekend.  Following their tilt with FSW, the Badgers will take on No. 7 TVCC, which won its opening match of the National Tournament before losing its next three contests to finish in 8^th place.  The Cardinals finished last season with a 31-11 overall record including a perfect 16-0 mark within conference play.
 
The Badgers will square off against DSC to begin day two of the tournament.  The Falcons finished last season with a 13-7 overall record including going 9-5 within FCSAA play. They culminated their season with a pair of losses in the FCSAA tournament.
 
Snow College will wrap up the UFirst Intermountain Invitational against No. 3 MSU-WP.  The Grizzlies compiled a 27-8 overall record which led them to the semi-final round of the NJCAA National Tournament and a matchup with FSW in which they were defeated in three sets.  MSU-WP defeated Indian Hills Community College to claim 3^rd place in the tournament.
 
BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE:
 
Following the first tournament of the season, Snow College will head to Odessa, Texas to participate in the Odessa Invitational hosted by Odessa College.  The Badgers will take on four opponents, including the host school, as well as two other schools in the NJCAA Preseason Top-20 rankings, namely New Mexico Military Institute and Navarro College.  
 
Snow College will then head to Sterling, Colorado for the Sheila Worley Invitation hosted by Northeastern Junior College.  The Badgers will face five total opponents over the two-day event including three preseason top-20 foes.  They'll take on No. 6 Western Nebraska Community College, No. 12 NJC, and No. 4 IHCC.
 
The home opener for the Badgers will take place on Sept. 12 as they host Western Wyoming Community College.  The Badgers will begin Scenic West Athletic Conference play in Twin Falls, Idaho as they take on the College of Southern Idaho Friday, Sept. 22.  They'll play five straight matches at home from Sept. 28 to Oct. 14 beginning with Utah State University Eastern. Snow College will wrap up its regular season against the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas.
 
ON THE SIDELINE:
 
Michael Daniel will lead the Badgers from the sideline as he returns for his third season at the helm. He has accumulated a 44-13 overall record in his two-year tenure including a 28-7 2021 season that saw the Badgers win the SWAC Tournament and finish in 7^th place at the NJCAA National Tournament.
 
He will be joined on the sideline once again by Jenna Crandall and Bonnie Holley, who will serve as assistant coaches.
 
FAMILIAR FACES:
 
The Badgers will return five members from last year's team including Corinne Taysom, Hallie Winn, Myah Gibb, Kayley Parrish, and Kiera Crosbie.  Taysom appeared in all 22 matches for Snow College a season ago. She recorded 401 assists and led the team in service aces with 39.
 
Parrish recorded 28 kills in 27 sets last season while Crosbie tallied 56 kills for the 2022 squad.  Winn and Gibb played in a total of 34 sets and contributed 13 kills, two assists, and three service aces.
 
JOINING THE FRAY:
 
In addition to the five returning sophomores, the 2023 club will also consist of 11 incoming freshmen.  Nine of the incoming freshmen come to Snow College from the state of Utah while the other two hail from Rexburg, Idaho. 
 
The incoming group, all true freshmen, includes three liberos (Esther Cox, Grace Holley, and Sunshine Tausinga), two setters (Kinley Kerbs and Maryn Faddis), three outside hitters (Maggie Larsen, Liv Marshall, and Melanie Hiatt), two middle blockers (Mira Smullin and Ella Keisel), and one opposite (Mariah Wilson).
 
UP NEXT:
 
Snow College will travel to Odessa, Texas to participate in the Odessa Invitational.  They will take on No. 8 NMMI and Hill College Friday, August 25 at 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.  The Badgers will wrap up the tournament against No. 20 Navarro and Odessa August, 26 at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.