HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson volleyball team begins its 2017 campaign this weekend with three matches at the Titan Tournament hosted by California State Fullerton.
 
The Knights are set for two matches on Friday, August 25 against the host Titans at 2:00 p.m. (EST) and UC Riverside at 8:00 p.m. (EST) before closing the weekend on Saturday with a match against Drake at 5:00 p.m. (EST).
 
NEW LOOK KNIGHTS
This year's squad will be under new guidance for the first time in a quarter-century. Interim head coach Andrea Nolan begins her first season at the helm after three seasons as longtime head coach Stacey Recanati's assistant. Recanati, who spent the last 26 seasons leading the Knights, has transitioned to an associate athletic director role in the Fairleigh Dickinson Athletic Department. In addition to their new coach, the 2017 roster consists of 10 underclassmen, including six freshmen.
 
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
Nolan's youthful squad will look for guidance from its two seniors – Carly O'Sullivan and Taylor Wyckoff – who logged all 32 matches a season ago. Wyckoff displayed a well-rounded game last season, finishing third on the team in kills (158), points (199.5), and total blocks (58.0). O'Sullivan, who split time as the Knights' libero and outside hitter, led the Knights with 452 digs, while also contributing 84 kills and the team's fourth-highest attack percentage at .136.
 
RISING REYES
Following an impressive first season with the Knights, sophomore middle hitter Annabel Reyes is expected to continue her emergence in 2017. As a freshman, Reyes started all 32 matches and finished second in attack percentage (.205), second in total blocks (84.0) and fourth in kills (146).
 
THE SCHEDULE
The Knights' 2017 slate features non-conference trips to tournaments at Holy Cross (Worcester, Massachusetts) and Providence College (Providence, Rhode Island). The Knights will also play the entire month of October at home in the Rothman Center – a span of eight straight matches. Seven of those eight matches are against Northeast Conference foes with a single non-conference date on October 18 against Manhattan.
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE FULLERTON
The Knights first opponent of the 2017 season are the hosts of the weekend tournament, Cal State Fullerton. Last season, the Titans posted a 6-24 overall record and a 1-15 mark in the Big West Conference. The team returns most of its squad from last season including its top two hitters, juniors Shimen Fayad and Madeline Schneider.
 
SCOUTING UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
The Highlanders were 8-20 last season and 3-13 in Big West action. The team welcomes back 10 players from last year's squad including two of its three top attackers from last season in Mickayla Sherman and Meg Graham. Sherman, who was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team last season, led the team with 312 total kills, 3.06 per set, which ranked 10th and 11th in the Big West respectively.
 
SCOUTING DRAKE
The Bulldogs were picked sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference this season after posting a 17-15 overall record last season and an 8-10 mark in MVC action. Last season was the team's best since 2010 and the program's first winning season in six years. The Bulldogs return six student-athletes that made significant contributions in 2016, including senior and three-year starter Kyla Inderski. Last season, Inderski recorded 400 kills, the eighth most ever by a Bulldog in a season, for a 3.31 kills per set average.
 
UP NEXT
The Knights head to Jersey City to take on Saint Peter's next Wednesday, August 30 at 7:00 p.m. Last season in Hackensack, the Knights swept the Peacocks in straight sets 25-13, 25-18, 25-18.