CLINTON, Miss. --- Fresh off a sweep of Division I Mississippi Valley State University, the Mississippi College volleyball team returns to action this weekend with a pair of Gulf South Conference affairs. MC (7-7, 1-2 GSC) hosts Union (Tenn.) University on Friday, Sept. 21. First serve against the Lady Bulldogs is slated for 6 p.m. The Choctaws then travel to Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday, Sept. 22 to face Christian Brothers University. Match time is slated for 1 p.m.

UNION SERIES: Mississippi College looks for its first win in series history against Union University. The Lady Bulldogs have claimed all eight meetings between the two programs.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS SERIES: Mississippi College and Christian Brothers meet for the 12th time in program history on Saturday. The Lady Bucs hold the series record at 7-2. 

FRESHMEN LEADING OFFENSIVELY: Freshmen are leading Mississippi College offensively in 2018. Kendall Platt leads the team with 167 kills this season and ranks among the top three in the GSC with 3.48 per set. Fellow freshman Jamie Boros ranks second on the team in kills with 134. Rylee Markham and Lexi Laurendine have helped set the table for the offensive attack. The freshmen, setter duo have totaled 446 of the Choctaws' 534 assists this season.

SWEEPS: With a sweep of Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday evening, Mississippi College registered its fourth, straight set win of the season. The victory followed a sweep of Auburn Montgomery on Sept. 15. The Choctaws recorded three, straight set wins all of 2017.

UNBLEMISHED AGAINST THE SWAC: Mississippi College is undefeated this season agaisnt teams from the Division I, Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Choctaws swept both Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University this season. MC 9-6 against members from the SWAC in program history (Alcorn State 4-2; Grambling State 1-2; Jackson State 2-0; Mississippi Valley State 2-2).

HAPPY (SATUR)DAY: Mississippi College secured its first Gulf South Conference win of the 2018 season on Saturday, Sept. 15 as it toppled Auburn Montgomery in straight sets. The victory marked the second over the Warkhawks in series history. The GSC win marked the first since Oct. 7, 2017 - a 3-1 decision over Montevallo.

FROST BREAKS CENTURY KILL MARK: Sophomore Autumn Frost secured her 100th, career kill this weekend against Auburn Montgomery. The Largo, Fla., native recorded 11 kills over the weekend, including seven in the straight set win over the Warhawks.
 
DOME SWEET DOME: After 11 matches on the road to open the 2018 campaign, Mississippi College opens its home slate on Friday, Sept. 14 in Gulf South Conference action against the 10th-ranked University of West Florida. The match is the first in four straight home outings for the Choctaws. Last season, the Choctaws opened its home slate on Sept. 12 against Loyola (La.) - six matches into the season.

RUE, BOROS ECLIPSE CENTURY KILL MARK: Sophomore Hannah Rue and freshman Jamie Boros recently broke the 100-kill mark in their career. Rue, a Muscle Shoals, Ala., product posted 100th, career kill on Sept. 6 at Alcorn State Tri-Match in Lorman, Miss.  Boros passed the century plateau on Sept. 11 at West Alabama. A Pompano Beach, Fla., product, Boros becomes the second freshman this season to surpass 100-plus kills.
 
DEJA VU: Choctaw head coach Shawna Laurendine returns to Livingston, Ala., and Pruitt Hall for the first time since 1999 on Tuesday, Sept. 11. Laurendine coached the Tigers from 1996-99 accumulating a record of 78-81 and an appearance in the Gulf South Conference Tournament. Earlier this season, Laurendine returned to Magnolia, Ark., where she served as the head coach of Southern Arkansas from 2001-06.
 
CHOCTAW DEBUTS: Nine Choctaws have made their debuts this season for Mississippi College. Eight of the 11 freshmen have played in at least one set this season while redshirt sophomore Kaitlyn Wilson made her MC introduction on Aug. 31 against Southwest Baptist University at the Reddie-Tiger Invitational in Arkadelphia, Ark.
 
LAURENDINE, PLATT NAMED ALL-TOURNAMENT: A pair of Mississippi College freshmen were named to the Reddie-Tiger Invitational All-Tournament Team for their efforts this past weekend in Arkadelphia, Ark.  Lexie Laurendine and Kendall Platt were recognized Sunday, Sept. 2 at the conclusion of the two-day Invite. Platt led the team with 42 kills during the four-game stretch and chimed in 29 digs, which awas second on the team. Laurendine finished second on the team in assists with 56 - one off the team-high.
 
PLATT BREAKS CENTURY KILL MARK: Kendall Platt broke the 100-kill plateau this past weekend in a 3-1 setback to Ouachita Baptist. The Anaheim, Calif., product is the fastest Choctaw to reach the century mark since Liz Mullin in 1994. The freshman has 106 kills in the first eight matches of the season.
 
PLATT NAMED GSC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Kendall Platt was named Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week for her performance this weekend at the Dr. Margaret Downing Invitational at Southern Arkansas University. Platt had an impressive debut as she set the program's single-match record with 23 kills against Southern Arkansas on Saturday, Aug. 25. She tied the previous record with 20 in five sets against Cameron (Okla.) on Friday evening. The Anaheim, Calif., native totaled a team-best 64 kills in four matches over the weekend. Platt becomes the first volleyball player to receive a weekly, conference honor since 2012 when Rachel Farmer and Holly Tupper swept American Southwest Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week accolades.
 
MAYS NAMED ALL-TOURNAMENT: Shelby Grace Mays received Dr. Margaret Downing Invitational All-Tournament accolades for her performance at the Invitational last weekend at Southern Arkansas. The Arab, Ala., native recorded 45 kills, three aces, 19 digs and 10 blocks during the four-match weekend.
 
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.

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).
 
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.