Video (
Russ Reneau)
Live Stats
HOUSTON – HBU kicks off the 2018 campaign, hosting Prairie View A&M, Louisiana Tech and UT Rio Grande Valley in the Barcelona Sporting Goods HBU Classic Friday and Saturday at Sharp Gym.
The Huskies are led by three returning starters in senior middle blocker
Kayla Davenport, a Preseason All-Southland Conference First Team selection, senior setter
Madison O'Brien and sophomore right side
Ashtyn Richey. With the departure of five seniors, four of which were starters, HBU features a young squad with 10 underclassmen.
Last season, HBU posted its second 20-win season under seventh-year head coach
Trent Herman, going 21-10 and recording its best finish in the Southland Conference play, tying for third with an 11-5 mark.
Prairie View A&M went 8-19 in 2017, finishing in seventh place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with a 7-11 record, but advanced to the semifinals of the SWAC Tournament. Christen Augustine has been named the SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and an All-SWAC First-Team pick.
UTRGV went 17-12 and finished second with a 10-4 record in the Western Athletic Conference last year. The Vaqueros have the same starting lineup intact with setter Dubravka Vukoja, outside hitters Ragni Steen Knudsen and Barbara Silva, middle blockers Alexandra Ecker and Veronika Jandova and libero Gyzell Zayas.
Louisiana Tech finished with a 7-21 record last season and tied for 12
th with a 2-12 record in Conference USA. The Lady Techsters are also a young squad, returning two starters in Madline Davis and Carter Mirich, and welcoming nine newcomers, including seven freshmen.
Every match will be streamed on the HBU Athletics YouTube page and
Russ Reneau will provide play-by-play for HBU's matches. Live stats are also available on HBUHuskies.com.
Tournament Schedule
Friday, Aug. 24
10 a.m. – UT Rio Grande Valley vs. Louisiana Tech
12:30 p.m. – Prairie View A&M at HBU
3:30 p.m. – Prairie View A&M vs. UT Rio Grande Valley
6 p.m. – Louisiana Tech at HBU
Saturday, Aug. 25
12 p.m. – Louisiana Tech vs. Prairie View A&M
2:30 p.m. – UT Rio Grande Valley at HBU
