MATCH #1
@ Morgan State | Friday, August 27 | Baltimore, Md. | 10:00 a.m.
MATCH #2
vs. Navy | Friday, August 27 | Baltimore, Md. | 6:30 p.m.
MATCH #3
vs. Towson | Saturday, August 28 | Baltimore, Md. | 1:30 p.m.
QUICK SETS
The Cleveland State volleyball team will open the 2021 season this weekend, traveling to Baltimore, Maryland for the Baltimore Invitational. This will mark the first of four preseason tournaments for the Vikings, and the start of a 12-match non-league slate. Cleveland State will face Morgan State (10:00 a.m.) and Navy (6:30 p.m.) on Friday, August 27, before facing Towson (1:30 p.m.) on Saturday, August 28.
ENTERING THE WEEK…
The Vikings will be kicking off their 50th season of volleyball, and 22nd under head coach Chuck Voss…Cleveland State will be trying to win its seventh season-opening tournament title under Voss…The Vikings will be trying for their seventh 3-0 start to a season under Voss.
CSU IN SEASON-OPENING TOURNAMENTS
Since the 2000 season when Chuck Voss took over the Cleveland State volleyball program, the Vikings have posted a 39-20 record in season-opening tournaments, including a 25-11 record over the last 11 years. Under Voss, the Vikings have captured six tournament titles during the first weekend of action - most recently claiming the CSU Invitational crown during the 2018 campaign.
ROAD WARRIORS
During the 2021 season the Vikings will play their entire non-league slate away from home, and will play their first 14 matches - including two league contests - on the road. During this stretch the Vikings will travel to six different states and will cover over 3,400 miles.
VIKINGS SET FOR THEIR RETURN TO THE COURT
This weekend's Baltimore Invitational will mark the first non-league matches for the Vikings in 706 days, as the Vikings were last in action against a non-league opponent on September 20, 2019 during the 2019 season. Last year during the adjusted 2020 campaign, Cleveland State played a Horizon League-only slate during the months of January, February and March - making this year's 30-match schedule the first full lineup since 2019.
POSTSEASON HONOREE MILLER RETURNS
Sophomore Abby Miller returns following an excellent rookie season in which she was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team. During the adjusted 2020 campaign, Miller led the league averaging 9.95 assists per set, helping the Viking offense to a .221 clip - the fourth best hitting percentage among league teams. Last season, Miller also averaged 2.63 digs per set and combined for 14 service aces.
THE 2021 LINEUP
This year's Viking lineup features 12 returners, including the senior duo of London Portis and Lindsey Tout, along with 10 newcomers, featuring a pair of transfers in Erica Kostelac and Sarah DeGeorge. In addition to Portis and Tout, the Vikings will also be led by returning mainstays Chelsea Penfield, Abby Miller and Audrey McConihe. Joining the Vikings for their first collegiate seasons will be eight true freshman.
VIKINGS POST STRONG SEMESTER IN THE CLASSROOM
With the 2021 Spring Semester in the books, the Vikings posted one of their best semesters in program history, finishing with a 3.77 Team GPA for the term - one of seven Cleveland State teams to post a 3.75+ GPA last semester. In addition, four Vikings were named to the Cleveland State President's List3.90+ (Keanna Avery, Lydia Latimer, Abby Miller, Lindsey Tout), while seven returning Vikings earned a spot on the Cleveland State Dean's List3.25+ (Peyton Bloomer, Madalynn Butler, Sarah Green, Audrey McConihe, Ainslie McLaughlin, Madison Quirino, Sam Snow).
HEAD COACH CHUCK VOSS
Chuck Voss is in his 22nd season at the helm of the Vikings, and owns a 371-241 (.606) overall record at Cleveland State. Under Voss the Vikings have recorded 17 winning seasons, including a streak of 10 straight from 2009 to 2018. Cleveland State has eclipsed the 20-win mark eight times since Voss took over the program, and has captured Horizon League Tournament titles five times (2007, 2012, 2015, 2016 & 2017) under his guidance. During the 2016 season Voss became the all-time winningest coach in program history, and then later became the only active Horizon Leagu coach to reach the 350-win mark at their current school.
UP NEXT
The Vikings will continue their early season tournament schedule at the Morehead State Invitational, facing Radford, Evansville and the host Eagles on Friday, September 3 and Saturday, September 4.
