Sept. 2, 2004

MEMPHIS, Tenn.-- - After three weeks of preseason workouts, the Memphis volleyball team will get their 2004 slate underway on Friday, with a pair of matches in the Memphis Invitational Tournament held at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. This year's tournament features Alabama A&M, Delaware State, Illinois-Chicago and Tennessee State. The Tigers will open the season with a match against in-state foe Tennessee State at 2 p.m. They will then wrap up day one's action at 7 p.m. against Alabama A&M. "I am really excited about this squad because, for one, we are all healthy and we made it through preseason without any injuries," said Head Coach Carrie Yerty. "The girls have worked hard and are in good shape. They are ready to start competing against someone other than themselves. It is great that we open the season at home this year." This year marks the first time since the 1997 season that the Tigers open the season at home when the opened in the Adams Mark Classic. Memphis' first taste of competition will come against Tennessee State. TSU was picked to finish last in the 11-team Ohio Valley Conference. The Tigers returns eight letterwinners, including a trio of starters, under the new leadership of Kathy Roulhac. Rouhlac's squad is a young one, however, featuring no seniors, five sophomores and five freshmen. TSU returns junior Threza Wright, who is the team's leading attacker after recording 115 kills a year ago. Memphis will then face Alabama A&M in Day one's final match. Alabama A&M (0-1) opened their season with a 3-0 loss at Alabama on Wednesday. The Bulldogs have won four consecutive SWAC championships and have made four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. The Bulldogs lost to eventual NCAA Tournament Quarterfinalist Georgia Tech in the First round of the 2003 Tournament. AAMU is guided by 2003 SWAC Coach of the Year Betty Austin, who returns an even mix of players in two seniors, three juniors and three sophomores. The Bulldogs return three All-SWAC performers, including SWAC Player of the Year Princess Dixson. "The first matches of the year are matches where we try to but a lineup out on the court and let them hit and get used to actually being out on the court and the environment. I anticipate strong competition for all of the teams we have brought in for the tournament." Yerty said. Memphis will return to the court on Saturday to battle Delaware State at 11:30 a.m. DSU comes in with a 1-1 record after splitting a pair against Long Island and Wagner in Brooklyn, New York. The lady Hornets fell to Long Island 3-0, before shutting Wagner out 3-0 in its next match. The Hornet were picked to finish 10th in the 11-team Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Lady Hornets struggled to a 4-24 record last season and return just four letterwinners and four starters from last year's team that went 1-10 and finished 11th in the MEAC. On the bright side, first year head coach Renee Arnold does return a pair of seniors to help lead a young team the showcases five freshmen. Yerty and the Tigers will face Illinois-Chicago in the 7 p.m. match on Saturday. UIC (0-1) is under the leadership of first-year head coach Nancy Mueller, who was previously at C-USA opponent USF. The Flames, who return three starters to the court this season, were shutout in their season-opener against Western Michigan. Of the last 10 tournaments, Memphis has either won or finished as runners-up in nine. The Tigers have claimed the title in three of the last 10, including defeating Tennessee Tech to win the 2003 tournament. The Memphis Invitational Tournament schedule is as follows:

Friday, September 3
Match One 	9:00 a.m. 	TENNESSEE STATE vs. UIC
Match Two	11:30 a.m.	DELAWARE STATE vs. Alabama A&M
Match Three	2:00 p.m.	MEMPHIS vs. Tennessee State
                      Match Four      4:30 a.m.       UIC vs. Delaware State
                      Match Five      7:00 p.m.       MEMPHIS vs. Alabama A&M
                      Saturday, September 4
                      Match Six	      9:00 a.m.       ALABAMA A&M vs. Tennessee State
                      Match Seven     11:30 a.m.      MEMPHIS vs. Delaware State
                      Match Eight     2:00 p.m.	      UIC vs. Alabama A&M
                      Match Nine      4:30 a.m.	      TENNESSEE STATE vs. Delaware State
                      Match 10        7:00 p.m.       MEMPHIS vs. UIC
                      **BOLD denotes home team