Volleyball opens season in South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi volleyball team will open the 2018 season at the Gamecock Invitational hosted by South Carolina in Columbia, S.C. The Islanders will play host South Carolina and Clemson on Friday before taking on East Tennessee State on Saturday.

Islanders vs. South Carolina
Date: Friday, Aug. 24
Time: 12:30 p.m. EST
Location: Columbia, S.C. (Carolina Volleyball Center)
Live Stats: HERE

Islanders vs. Clemson
Date: Friday, Aug. 24
Time: 5 p.m. EST
Location: Columbia, S.C. (Carolina Volleyball Center)
Live Stats: HERE

Islanders vs. East Tennessee State
Date: Saturday, Aug. 25
Time: Noon EST
Location: Columbia, S.C. (Carolina Volleyball Center)
Live Stats: HERE

• The Islanders are 9-9 all time in season openers
• The team has won its past four season openers, defeating Portland in 2014, Grambling in 2015, Prairie View A&M in 2016 and Rice in 2017.
• This weekend will also be the season openers for South Carolina, Clemson and East Tennessee State.
• The Islanders were picked third in the 2018 Southland Conference Preseason Poll.
• Madison Green was selected to the Southland Preseason All-Conference First Team.
• Green was an honorable mention in 2017 as a sophomore.
• Green and sophomore Chloe Simon are the only two returners to have started matches at the collegiate level entering this season.
• Rachel Young was granted a medical redshirt after being injured in the fourth-match of the 2017 season. She will be a freshman this year.
• The Islanders added two junior college transfers in Eloise van Velthooven (Parkland College) and Kayla Valigura (Blinn College).
• The roster features seven true freshmen.
• New assistant coach Alexis Crimes was an alternate for Team USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
• Green, Young, Simon and Jenna Krenek each played for the beach volleyball team in the spring of 2018.
• This is the 19th season of Islander Volleyball. The program began back in 2000.
• The roster features 10 players from Texas. Other states/countries represented include Indiana, California, New York, New Zealand and Isreal.

The Islanders' home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 29, against UTRGV as part of the South Texas Showdown presented by NavyArmy Community Credit Union. Match time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Fans can find the entire 2018 promotional schedule HERE.

For more information on Islanders Volleyball, follow the team on Twitter (@IslandersVB), Instagram (@islandersvb) and like their Facebook page (Islanders Volleyball).