ISU Opens Season Hosting AVCA Showcase

AMES, Iowa - Volleyball returns to Hilton Coliseum Friday evening when Iowa State opens the 2014 season as co-hosts of the 2014 AVCA Showcase against No. 3 Stanford starting at 7 p.m. The Cyclones will follow that up with a match on Sunday at 1 p.m. against No. 13 Florida State, also in Hilton Coliseum.

Tickets can be bought in advance on cyclones.com by clicking here. The night of the match, fans can purchase tickets at the Hilton Coliseum Ticket Office, located on the Southwest corner of Hilton Coliseum.

Both matches can be seen on Cyclones.TV Powered by Mediacom and the Cyclones.TV web player on a subscription basis. For more information on accessing Cyclones.TV, click here. The match between ISU and Stanford will also be shown live on Pac-12 Network - Bay Area.

Live stats for both matches are available here. The Iowa State Athletics Communications office will host a live blog during both matches that can be accessed here.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) hosts one of the top non-conference events every season in the AVCA Showcase, bringing four top teams from around the country together to open the college volleyball season in style. The 2014 version is no different as Iowa State and No. 7 Nebraska are the co-hosts. While the Cyclones are taking on Stanford Friday night, the Cornhuskers will be hosting Florida State. The Cardinal and Seminoles will switch sites for the Sunday afternoon matches.

Cyclone Notes

One of the most prestigious pre-conference tournaments of the season is at Hilton Coliseum this weekend as Iowa State co-hosts the AVCA Showcase, starting Friday at 7 p.m. with a match against No. 3 Stanford. ISU will then host No. 13 Florida State on Sunday at 1 p.m.
This marks the Cyclones' second appearance in the AVCA Showcase. In 2010 in Omaha, Nebraska, ISU started the Showcase with a four-set loss to Florida, but followed that up 24 hours later with a four-set win over Kentucky.
Iowa State has appeared in the previous eight NCAA Volleyball Championships, one of 15 programs in the nation to acheive that feat. ISU's opponent on Friday, Stanford is among the 15.
The Cyclones have two student-athletes on the All-Big 12 Preseason team in junior right-side hitter Mackenzie Bigbee and senior outside hitter Victoria Hurtt.
Bigbee was a 2013 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention selection, along with earning All-Region and a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team nod. The Williamsburg, Iowa native led the Cyclones with 324 kills at 3.21 kps in 2013.
In spite of earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors in 2013, it was a down season for Hurtt. The Kansas City, Missouri native was third on the squad with 2.49 kills per set, but will be looking to get back into the form of 2012 which saw her earn AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors.
The Cyclones will be breaking in a new libero as junior Caitlin Nolan will be looking to fill the shoes of three-time AVCA All-American and three-time Big 12 Libero of the Year Caitlin Nolan. The Southlake, Texas native has played in all of ISU's matches the past two seasons as a defensive specialist.
ISU will also feature a new setter this weekend as tranfer Suzanne Horner takes over. Horner, a sophomore, started at setter for Mississippi State last season.

Players Mentioned

Mackenzie Bigbee

Mackenzie Bigbee

Suzanne Horner

Victoria Hurtt

Victoria Hurtt

Caitlin Nolan

Caitlin Nolan

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics