Intense weeks of two-a-day practices are complete. Lively, competitive scrimmages against Butte College and Feather River College are in the books. Now the Chico State volleyball team will see if all the hard work in preparation for the 2015 season will pay off with the program's first postseason appearance in seven years. The Wildcats officially kick off the new campaign with four matches this Friday and Saturday as part of the fourth annual Route 92 Showdown.
The 'Cats will split time in two locales for the weekend tournament. Friday Chico State will be in Hayward, taking on Dominican at 10:45 a.m. and Holy Names at 3:15 p.m. at Cal State East Bay, followed by Saturday matches in Belmont versus Cal Baptist (9 a.m.) and Academy of Art (2 p.m.) on the campus of Notre Dame de Namur.
Chico State fans can follow the action of all four matches via Live Stats through the Wildcat Athletics website.
The 'Cats return 10 members of the 2014 squad that finished 13-13 overall and 11-11 in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play. Two of the team's top outside hitters (Shannon Boling and Olivia Mediano) are back, along with opposite hitter Natalie Nordahl and middles Hannah Wilkins and Ashton Kershner.
Chico State's back row will feature returners Shannon Cotton and Anu Munkhtur, while the offense will once again run through All-American setter Torey Thompson, who has led the CCAA in assists and among the top 15 setters nationwide each of the last two seasons.
The Wildcats have beefed up their roster with several new players, including former Cal State Monterey Bay middle hitter Janai Johnson, junior college transfer Jacki Kreymborg (San Diego CC) and true freshman middle hitter Kim Wright (San Diego's Patrick Henry High School).
All four of Chico State's Route 92 Showdown opponents are members of the Pacific West Conference. Dominican finished the 2014 season 7-21 overall and 5-15 in Pac West play, with Holy Names going 2-24 on the year and 2-18 in conference play a year ago. Cal Baptist (16-12, 12-8 Pac West in 2014), the Wildcats' first opponent on Saturday, is the conference's top choice in the recent preseason coaches' poll, while Academy of Art was 13-15 overall and 8-12 in Pac West play in 2014.
