COLUMBUS, Ohio – This weekend, the Ohio Dominican volleyball team opens their 2023 campaign at the Vulcan Volleyball Invitational at PennWest California. The Panthers will play Bloomsburg University and California (Pa.) on Friday and West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday.

The Black and Gold ended the 2022 season with an overall record of 12-18 and a 6-10 mark in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Head coach Amy Bambenek enters her fourth season at the helm of the Panthers. Bambenek and her squad look to improve this season after just missing the mark for the postseason a year ago.

About Ohio Dominican

The Panthers return 11 players from a season ago including senior defensive specialists Kelsey Shoup (Dalton, Ohio) and Alexis Keipert (Burlington, Ky.). Shoup recorded her 1,000 career dig last season, bringing her career total to 1,114. She averaged 3.75 digs per game. Keipert was second on the team with 35 service aces.

Joining the seniors are power duo Saige Avery (Yorkville, Ill.) and Gabrielle Kirker (Tallmadge, Ohio) in the setter position. Avery netted 451 assists, averaging 4.90 assists per set with Kirker collecting 568 assists and averaging 5.74 assists per set.

At the net, junior Lauren Lucas (Grover City, Ohio) tallied 197 kills, averaging 2.35 kills per set. Middle blocker, Grace Zinchuk (Schaumburg, Ill.) led the team with 76 blocks, followed by fellow sophomore Jenna Peters (Vermillion, Ohio) with 67 blocks.

About Bloomsburg

The Huskies finished last season with a 6-21 overall record and a 4-10 slate in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. BU was chosen seventh in the PSAC East Division Preseason poll.

Six year head coach Dan Kreiger returns a number of notable players to his 2023 squad, including Second Team All-PSAC honoree Liz Bopp. Bopp finished the season with 168 kills, 68 total blocks, and 15 service aces. Shayna Warfel also returns after leading the team in kills last season with 208.

Bloomsburg and Ohio Dominican have never played in the Division II Era, meeting for the first time on Friday.

About California (Pa.)

The Vulcans wrapped up the 2022 campaign with an overall mark of 12-13 and a 6-10 record in the PSAC. In his 13th season, Peter Letourneau and his squad were chosen eighth in the PSAC West Division Preseason poll.

Returning for Cal is All-PSAC West Second Team recipient Elisa Rugiero. The sophomore garnered 151 kills and averaged 2.25 kills per set in her freshman campaign. Joining Rugiero is senior defensive specialist Emily Buwawa. Buwawa led the team with 260 digs.

The Vulcans and the Panthers have also never met in the Division II Era. Cal U opens their season with West Virginia Wesleyan on Friday afternoon.

About West Virginia Wesleyan

The Bobcats ended their 2022 season with a final mark of 7-23 and a 3-13 slate in the Mountain East Conference. Head coach Nancy Wheeler enters her seventh season at the helm. Her team was chosen fifth in the MEC South Division Preseason poll.

Returning for WVWC are seniors Autumn Molenhouse and Jayla Cowherd. Molenhouse led the team with 325 digs, averaging 3.61 digs per set. Cowherd snagged 43 total blocks and 104 kills. Junior setter, Sarah McCall, returns to the setter position after grabbing 269 assists and 20 services aces last season.

WVWC and ODU have not played within the Division II Era as well. The Panthers end the invitational with the Bobcats on Saturday afternoon.

Game Time

First serve is set for 3:00 PM on Friday afternoon against Bloomsburg. The Panthers then face the Vulcans at 5:30 PM that evening. Action continues the next afternoon at 12:30 PM against West Virginia Wesleyan.