CHICO – It will be a couple more weeks before Chico State fans can get their volleyball fix at Acker Gym, but for the Wildcat players the wait is nearly over. This week Head Coach Cody Hein and the 2014 edition of the 'Cats wing their way north to begin the season with three non-conference tilts as part of the Seattle Pacific Tournament, taking place Thursday through Saturday at Royal Brougham Pavilion on the Seattle Pacific campus.

 

Chico State will play one match each day, beginning with host Seattle Pacific at 7 p.m. The Wildcats take on Dixie State Friday at 3 p.m., then wrap up the tournament Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against Western Oregon. Fans can follow the action of all three matches online, with both Live Stats and live video streaming.
 
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CLICK HERE for live video streaming
 
Chico State returns 10 letterwinners and five starters from last year's team to form one of the deepest rosters the program has had in several years. The Wildcats, which finished the 2013 campaign 16-13 overall and in fourth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), are led by sophomore All-American setter Torey Thompson (CCAA-best 1,192 assists and 11.46 assists per set last season), First Team All-CCAA senior middle hitter Lindsay Quigley (career-high 340 kills and 79 blocks) and senior outside hitter Ellie Larronde (team-best 369 kills in 2013).

 

Seattle Pacific, the Wildcats' Friday night opponent, is playing its season-opening match at home for the first time since 1986. The Falcons, coming off a 15-11 record in 2013 and a fourth place finish in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC), returns eight letterwinners and All-GNAC outside hitter Madi Cavell (348 kills, 67 blocks last year). Seattle Pacific has been picked to finish fifth this season in the GNAC preseason coaches' poll.
 
Chico State holds a 10-6 lead in the all-time series with Seattle Pacific. The last time the two teams tangled, the Wildcats nipped the Falcons in five sets Sept. 7, 2012 at the Seawolf Spike Tournament in Rohnert Park.
 
Friday marks the first time Chico State and Dixie State have met on the volleyball court. The Red Storm posted a 17-10 record last season and reached the NCAA Championship Tournament for the first time in the program's history. Dixie State features seven players six feet or taller, and bring back one of its big hitters from a year ago, senior Maddie Rex (271 kills in 2013). The Red Storm has been picked to finish fourth in the Pacific West Conference preseason coaches' poll.
 
Western Oregon is attempting to bounce back from a sub-.500 campaign in 2013. The Wolves were 10-18 last season and finished sixth in the GNAC with a 7-11 conference record. The GNAC preseason coaches' poll has Western Oregon slated to finish sixth again this year.
 
The Wolves bring back eight letterwinners, with their three returning starters all collecting over 200 kills in 2013. Western Oregon, with five players at six feet or better, will also present Chico State with some vertical challenges this weekend.
 
The Wildcats have won the last three meetings with Western Oregon and hold a 7-2 lead in the all-time series. Saturday will be the first head-to-head matchup between the two teams since the 'Cats beat the Wolves in four sets Sept. 2, 2011 at the Coyote Classic in San Bernardino.