VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW: Marcia E. Hamilton Classic
WHEN: Friday-Saturday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 2018
WHERE: St. Louis, Mo. (Chaifetz Arena)
PARTICIPATING TEAMS: Saint Louis (0-3), Kansas State (2-0), Marquette (2-1), Western Kentucky (2-2)
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (all times Central)
• Friday, Aug. 31 • Marquette vs. Kansas State • 3:30 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 31 • Saint Louis vs. Western Kentucky • 6 p.m. ESPN+ LIVE STATS
• Saturday, Sept. 1 • Western Kentucky vs. Marquette • 10 a.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 1 • Saint Louis vs. Kansas State • Noon ESPN+ LIVE STATS
• Saturday, Sept. 1 • Kansas State vs. Western Kentucky • 5 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 1 • Saint Louis vs. Marquette • 7 p.m. ESPN+ LIVE STATS
VIDEO STREAM NOTE: ESPN's new streaming platform, ESPN+, is the new home for the majority of Atlantic 10 Conference live digital events. Click here for an FAQ page that provides more details, including subscription information.
A LOOK AT THE BILLIKENS
• Saint Louis makes its home debut this weekend at the ninth annual Marcia E. Hamilton Classic. The Billikens welcome Western Kentucky of Conference USA, Kansas State of the Big 12 Conference and Marquette of the Big East Conference to Chaifetz Arena.
• Sophomore OH Maya Taylor garnered All-Tournament plaudits at last week's Miami Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational. In three matches, Taylor had 39 kills (4.33/set), registered a .275 attack percentage and added nine digs and two blocks.
• Taylor ranks 46th in the nation with 4.33 kills per set.
• Click here for the Billikens' statistics.
• SLU was tabbed for a third-place Atlantic 10 Conference finish by the league's coaches in their preseason poll. Click here for the story.
• The Billikens returned four starters and seven additional players from last year's team that finished third in the Atlantic 10 Conference with a 10-4 record. Five freshmen join four seniors, two juniors and five sophomores. Click here for the complete 2018 roster.
• Leading the returning group are junior OH Sien Gallop, sophomore OH Maya Taylor and sophomore S Kennedy Cordia.
• Gallop, who led NCAA Division I in service aces per set (0.67) and total service aces (67), was selected to the 2017 Atlantic 10 All-Conference first team. She tallied 2.99 kills per set and 2.34 digs per set.
• Taylor was tabbed A-10 Rookie of the Year. Her 3.51 kills per set ranked second in the A-10, and she led SLU hitters with a .245 attack percentage.
• Cordia joined Taylor on the league's All-Rookie team. She registered a team-high 7.17 assists per set and added 2.16 digs per set.
• Head coach Kent Miller is in his eighth season on the Saint Louis sideline.
• Up next for the Billikens is Indiana State's Sycamore Invitational Sept. 7-8. SLU will take on Central Michigan, Green Bay and Indiana State.
• Click here for the complete 2018 schedule.
A LOOK AT THIS WEEKEND'S OPPONENTS
• After starting 0-2 with losses to Alabama and College of Charleston, Western Kentucky evened its record by beating Missouri State and Belmont. The Lady Toppers returned two starters + libero from last year's 31-4 team that tied for the C-USA regular-season title (13-1), won a fourth straight C-USA postseason tournament and reached the NCAA Tournament second round. Senior MH Rachel Anderson (2017 first-team All-Conference) leads the returnees. STATISTICS
• Kansas State began the season with a pair of 3-0 victories at Hawaii. The Wildcats returned five starters + libero from their 2017 team that was 10-19 overall and 3-13 (ninth) in the Big 12. K-State reached the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament. STATISTICS
• Marquette notched 3-0 wins over Texas State and LSU before falling 3-1 to Baylor last weekend. Junior OH Allie Barber was the 2017 Big East Player of the Year and was joined on the All-Conference first team by redshirt-senior MH Jenna Rosenthal. Other league honorees were sophomore OH Hope Werch (Freshman of the Year) and junior S Lauren Speckman (second team). The 2017 Golden Eagles were 22-10 overall and 15-3 (second) in the Big East and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. STATISTICS
