CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team opens the 2017 season this weekend as the Lady Choctaws travel to Springfield, Ill., for the University of Illinois-Springfield hosted Capital Classic. Admission to the event $10 per day or a $15 all-tournament pass. Children 12 and under are admitted free.
 

Mississippi College vs. Concord University

WHEN                    Friday, Sept. 1 at 9 a.m.

WHERE                 TRAC (The Recreation and Athletic Center)

FOLLOW               Live Stats | Live Video

SOCIAL MEDIA    Twitter (@GoChoctawsVB)

 

Mississippi College vs. Lindenwod University

WHEN                    Friday, Sept. 1 at 3:30 p.m.

WHERE                 TRAC (The Recreation and Athletic Center)

FOLLOW               Live Stats | Live Video

SOCIAL MEDIA    Twitter (@GoChoctawsVB)

 

Mississippi College vs. Ohio Valley University

WHEN                    Saturday, Sept. 2 at 9 a.m.

WHERE                 TRAC (The Recreation and Athletic Center)

FOLLOW               Live Stats | Live Video

SOCIAL MEDIA    Twitter (@GoChoctawsVB)

 

Mississippi College vs. University of Illinois-Springfield

WHEN                    Saturday, Sept. 2 at 1 p.m.

WHERE                 TRAC (The Recreation and Athletic Center)

FOLLOW               Live Stats | Live Video

SOCIAL MEDIA    Twitter (@GoChoctawsVB)

 
FIRST SERVES

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• The 2017 season marks the second campaign under head coach Julie Redus. Her first season at the helm saw the Lady Choctaws win the most matches in a single-season since 2012. MC opened the 2016 campaign winning six of its first seven matches - the best start since 1994. 
• MC opens the season with six matches away from the confines of A.E. Wood Coliseum. The Navy and Gold open the season against three, first time opponents at the UIS Capital Classic. The matches against Concord, Ohio Valley and UIS for the first time in program history. The Lady Choctaws meet Lindenwood for the second time in series history with the Lions taking the lone meeting in 3-0 fashion in 2015.
• Three seniors are chasing career records entering the 2017 season. Kayana Mitchell ranks third in program history in block assists and total blocks, eighth in solo blocks and ninth in kills. Madison Kimes ranks sixth in digs as is only seven digs away from cracking the top five, while Sydney Chandler is fifth in program history in assists.
• The 2017 edition of the Lady Choctaws features nine newcomers with two junior college transfers, a sophomore and six freshmen. Among the new faces are twin sisters Tessa and Gracie Liljenquist from Dyersburg, Tenn. (Dyersburg HS) and Jill Brown, who joins former Ancilla College teammate Sophia Smith, and Autumn Frost, who also competes for the track and field team, becomes a two-sport athlete at MC.
• Newcomer Amanda Torres becomes the first Puerto Rican volleyball player in program history. The San Juan native transfers to Mississippi College following two seasons Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fla.
• Ashton King, Kayana Mitchell and Madison Kimes were chose team captains by the 2017 volleyball team. The trio are four-year letterwinners for the Lady Choctaws.
• Concord returns five letterwinners from last season, including All-Mountain East Conference selection Brooke Heck, who has the top two hitting percentages in program history. The Mountain Lions were tabbed seventh in the MEC Preseason Poll.
• Lindenwood was selected ninth in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association Preseason Poll and returns four letterwinners from the 2016 season. Head coach Will Condon begins his first season at the helm of the Lions.
• Ohio Valley returns two players from the 2016 season and were selected seventh in the Great Midwest East Division.
• Illinois Springfield returns 12 players from the 2016 season, including Alli Splitt and Alyssa Hasler. The Prairie Stars were picked fourth in the Central Division in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.