CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team opens the Shawna Laurendine Era this weekend as the Lady Choctaws travel to Magnolia, Ark., for the Dr. Margaret Downing Invitational at the Southern Arkansas University. MC opens the Invite against Texas-Permian Basin on Friday, Aug. 24 at 9 a.m. at the W.T. Watson Center.

The opening day concludes at 3 p.m. against Cameron University. Saturday's action begins at 11 a.m. with the Lady Choctaws against Quincy before ending the day against the host Lady Muleriders at 7 p.m.

NEW ERA IN CLINTON
Mississippi College opens the Shawna Laurendine Era at the Dr. Margaret Downing Invitational in Magnolia, Ark. Laurendine returns to the Gulf South Conference after spending the last five seasons as the head coach at the University of South in Sewanee, Tenn. This marks Laurendine's third stint in the GSC after previous stops at the University of West Alabama (1996-00) and Southern Arkansas University (2001-06).
 
HELLO FRIEND
Mississippi College head coach Shawna Laurendine returns to Southern Arkansas for the first time since 2006. Laurendine coached six seasons at SAU from 2001-06. Laurendine earned Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year laurels and led the Lady Muleriders to the GSC Tournament in 2003 after posting a 22-12 record, including a mark of 8-4 in the conference. Laurendine also coached GSC Player of the Year Brittany Wright.
 
WELCOME BACK
The Lady Choctaws return eight players from the 2017 edition, including just three upperclassmen. Jill Brown is the lone senior on the squad and is joined by juniors Shelby Grace Mays, Julia Martin and Autumn Frost. Sophomores Hannah Rue, Brandi Bundy, Makenzie McLendon and Kaitlyn Wilson round out the returnees.
 
NEW FACES
Head Coach Shawna Laurendine welcomes 11 freshmen to Clinton. The newcomers represent seven different states from across the country. Jamie Boros and Kendall Platt represented the Navy and Gold among the top newcomers in the Preseason Gulf South Conference release. Boros hails from Pompano Beach, Fla. while Platt calls Anaheim, Calif., home.
 
EARLY ROAD TEST
The Lady Choctaws open the 2018 slate with its first 11 matches away from A.E. Wood Coliseum. MC opens with eight straight matches in Arkansas. After the Dr. Margaret Downing Invitational in Magnolia, Ark., at Southern Arkansas University, the Navy and Gold follow the next weekend with a trip to Arkadelphia, Ark., to compete in the Bettye Wallace Invitational hosted by Henderson State University.
MC also travels to Lorman, Miss., for a tri-match with William Carey and Alcorn State and opens Gulf South Conference play at the University of West Alabama.
 
MAYS THE FORCE BE WITH YOU
Redshirt junior Shelby Grace Mays returns to the Lady Choctaws for the 2018 season after being sidelined last season with an injury. The Arab, Ala., native has played in 73 matches during her career and returns as the kill leader for the Navy and Gold with 419. Mays also leads the team in digs with 508 and 56 service aces.
 
RECORD CHASING
Shelby Grace Mays looks to crack the top 10 in program history in kills, service aces and digs. Mays is 100 or less kills and digs from making the top 10 in school history and 17 aces from reaching the all-time list.