'Dogs get season underway in South Carolina

College of Charleston Classic
Fresno State at College of Charleston
Aug. 26, 2022 • 9 A.M. PT • TD Arena • Charleston, S.C.
Watch: FloVolleyball
Live: Live Stats • Live Updates on Twitter (@FresnoStateVB)
Series History: First meeting

Fresno State vs. Rutgers
Aug. 26, 2022 • 1:30 P.M. PT • TD Arena • Charleston, S.C.
Live: Live Stats • Live Updates on Twitter (@FresnoStateVB)
Series History: First meeting

Fresno State vs. The Citadel
Aug. 27, 2022 • 7 A.M. PT • TD Arena • Charleston, S.C.
Live: Live Stats • Live Updates on Twitter (@FresnoStateVB)
Series History: First meeting

BULLDOG BONES

Fresno State opens its 58th season on the volleyball court at the College of Charleston Classic.
The Bulldogs will see all four opponents this week for the first time in program history.
The 'Dogs were selected ninth in the Mountain West preseason coaches' poll released last week and had no preseason All-MW selections for the first time since 2018.
Fresno State went 12-14 overall last season and tied with Wyoming for seventh in the Mountain West in 2021.
The Bulldogs are 32-18-1 in 51 recorded season openers.
The 'Dogs open on the road for the eighth time in the last 10 seasons dating back to 2013.
Senior middle blocker Grace Doyle is the 'Dogs returning leader in kills (195), hitting percentage (.357), blocks (97) & service aces (37).

By The Numbers
58 - The Bulldogs open their 58th season as a program on Friday
9 - Fresno State bring back nine returners in 2022
5 - Five newcomers enter the fold in 2022 with three freshmen & a pair of transfers

Scouting Charleston Southern

Charleston Southern went 9-17 in 2021 with a 5-11 mark in the Big South, good for seventh in the conference.
The Buccaneers were selected sixth in the preseason Big South poll and senior Peyton Thompson was picked to the preseason All-Big South Team.
CSU is led by fourth-year head coach David McFatrich.
Thompson is the Bucs' top returner after playing in all 95 sets last season and led the team in kills per set (4.06) and service aces (35).

Scouting College of Charleston

College of Charleston went 16-12 in 2021 with a 9-7 record in the CAA, fourth in the league.
The Cougars were picked third in the preseason CAA poll and senior Lexi Wierzbicki was selected to the preseason All-CAA Team.
Head coach Jason Kepner enters his 15th season at the College of Charleston.
The Cougars were swept in an exhibition by TCU at home on Aug. 19.
Wierzbicki is College of Charleston's leading returner in kills per set (3.03).

Scouting Rutgers

Rutgers is coming off an 8-21 record in 2021 with a 0-20 mark in the Big Ten.
The Scarlet Knights were picked 14th in the preseason Big Ten poll.
Head coach Caitlin Schweihofer enters her third season at Rutgers.
Junior Madison Chitty led Rutgers with 3.46 digs per set.

Scouting The Citadel

The Citadel posted a 14-12 mark in 2021 with a 7-9 mark in the Southern Conference, tied for fifth in the conference.
The Bulldogs were selected seventh in the preseason Southern Conference poll.
Sophomore outside hitter Ali Ruffin was named to the preseason Southern Conference all-conference team.
Dave Zelenock is in his fifth season as the head coach at The Citadel.
Ruffin was named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year and was the first Bulldog in program history to take home the conference's top freshman honor.

2021 OPENERS

The 'Dogs will be led by first-year interim head coach Abbie Wright who joined the program in March after spending five seasons as the head coach at Seattle Pacific.
The 'Dogs return three seniors in Lauren Sabbatini, Grace Doyle and Molly Eppright, junior Kasey Purry and five sophomores.
Doyle enters her fourth season as a Bulldog with 68 career matches played, 441 kills, 78 service aces & 247.0 blocks.
Purry returns after ranking second on the team with 89 blocks.

SEASON OPENERS

Fresno State is 32-18-1 in 51 recorded season openers (1971-2021).
The 'Dogs are 7-3 in their last 10 season openers falling in four sets to Loyola Marymount last season.
The Bulldogs last opened the season at a neutral site road tournament in 2019 defeating Ohio in four sets at the GBD Invite.

2021 MW/NCAA rankings

Aces per set: 1.85 (3rd MW/16th NCAA)
Blocks per set: 2.25 (4th MW/98th NCAA)
Service aces: 179 (6th MW/59th NCAA)
Total blocks: 218.0 (6th MW/175th NCAA)
Hitting percentage: .199 (9th MW/182nd NCAA)

STARTING STRONG

The Bulldogs have won their season opener in 10 of the last 14 seasons.
The 'Dogs have won five of its last six season openers with wins over LIU Brooklyn (2016), Utah Valley (2017), Valparaiso (2018), Ohio (2019) & San Diego State (Spring '21) before falling to Loyola Marymount to open last season.

POSTSEASON

For the second time since 2011, the Mountain West will host a postseason tournament to determine the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament after Boise State claimed the title in 2021.
The top six teams in the regular season will head to Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colo. on Nov. 23-25.
This will be the 12th postseason tournament having also had a MW Tournament from 1999-2007.

"Fresno State Athletics - For The V: The Central Valley" - Bulldog student-athletes, coaches, and staff proudly wear the "Green V" to show their pride in representing the Central Valley. Stories of why the Bulldogs play for the "Green V" will be shared throughout the next year with #ForTheV. To become a Bulldog Foundation member or join "The Green V Society," please call 559-278-7160 or visit bulldogfoundation.org.

Follow us on:
Twitter: @FresnoStateVB
Instagram: FresnoStatevball
Facebook: FresnoStateVB

'Dogs get season underway in South Carolina

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Grace Doyle

Molly Eppright

Kasey Purry

Lauren Sabbatini

Fresno State Athletics

'Dogs get season underway in South Carolina

Related News

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Grace Doyle

Molly Eppright

Kasey Purry

Lauren Sabbatini

Related Videos