MACOMB, Ill.- The Leatherneck Volleyball team plays host to the 2017 Hampton Inn Leatherneck Invitational on Aug. 25-26 to open the season. Western will take on Manhattan, Evansville and Chicago State beginning with the season opener against Manhattan at 7 p.m. on Friday. The tournament will begin in the morning with Manhattan and Chicago playing at 10 a.m. and Evansville against Chicago State at 3 p.m. All matches will be held at Western Hall over the two-day tournament. The Leathernecks play the final two matches of the tournament against Chicago State at 2 p.m., with the conclusion of the tournament against Evansville. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
 
LEATHERNECK NEWCOMERS:
The Leathernecks welcome five newcomers to this season's roster. Freshmen Abby Knoop (West Branch, Iowa), Cassie Hunt (Cortland, Ill.), Jovana Bulatovic (Elmwood Park, Ill.) and Emma Norris (North Liberty, Iowa) make up the freshman class. Junior transfer Jaime Johnson (Champaign, Ill.) looks to add depth to the setting position for the 2017 campaign.
 
LEATHERNECK RETURNERS:
Western returns 12 (five starters) from 2016 including its lone senior Shalyn Greenhaw, who led the team in kills a year ago. Juniors Melanie Patenaude and Lexi Kolschefski, who were second and third on the team in kills per set, return, along with Shiah Sanders who was third on the team with 100 sets played. Junior Emilee Dechant anchors the middle hitting position for the Purple and Gold. Shaela Gray, Aleezah Washington, Claire Grove, Riley Schumacher, Makenzie Bouse and Hannah Walker make up the sophomore class, which is the largest on the roster. The Leathernecks also welcome back redshirt freshman Mackenzie Steckler.
 
Grove was named to the Summit League's preseason 'Players to Watch' list, a preseason accolade that is only handed out to nine players in the conference.
 
SCOUTING THE JASPERS:
The Jaspers are led by Lora Sarich, who enters her first season at the helm of the program. Manhattan ended the 2016 campaign with a record of 12-20. The Jaspers welcome six freshmen to its roster and have 10 returning players. The Leathernecks a have only met the Jaspers once, in 1995, with Western taking the match 3-0.
 
SCOUTING THE COUGARS:
The Cougars come off of a 3-26 2016 campaign that including victories against Savannah State, New Orleans and Grand Canyon. The team returns three starters from last season, including Paige Eyring, Brianna Stewart and Alexandra Cliff. Western leads Chicago State 37-5 all time with a 3-1 victory last season.
 
SCOUTING THE PURPLE ACES:
Head Coach Manolo Concepcion (fifth season) welcomes back all six starters from last season's team that finished 5-26. The Purple Aces return Mildrelis Rodriguez, who led the team in kills (309) and digs (325).  Evansville leads the series against the Leathernecks, 6-4, with the last match in 2015, one the Purple Aces won 3-0.
 
LOOKING AHEAD:
After the Leatherneck Invitational, the Purple and Gold travel to Birmingham, Ala. for the UAB Blazer Invitational. Western Illinois will host another tournament, the Buffalo Wild Wings Invitational Sept. 15-16, which will include Valparaiso, Drake and McNeese. Summit League play succeeds the Buffalo Wild Wings Invitational, which the opening at in Vermillion, S.D. against South Dakota. The regular season concludes with three straight home matches against Fort Wayne, NDSU and Denver on Nov. 7, 10 and 12, respectively. The Summit League Championships are scheduled for Nov. 17-19 in Denver, Colo., with the top six teams in the conference making the tournament.

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