NORMAL, Ill. – The Leah Johnson era will officially begin when the Illinois State volleyball team heads to Waco, Texas, to begin the 2017 season Friday at the Hampton Inn & Suites Waco North Baylor Invitational at Baylor's Ferrell Center.
Illinois State will take on UC Santa Barbara at 4 p.m. Friday in both teams' season opener, before tests against No. 15 Florida State and host Baylor (receiving votes) on Saturday, at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.
The matches will be the first under the direction of Johnson, who was hired June 21 as the seventh head coach in program history. The matches will also be the first for six newcomers wearing the Redbird uniform.
"We are excited to compete against this impressive slate of teams right out the gate," Johnson said. "However, the most important team in the tournament is Illinois State. Our focus will be on our side of the net and staying dialed into where we are in our process goals. We are preparing our systems - offensive and defensive – and talent for the MVC, ultimately."
Illinois State was picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference in a preseason poll of league coaches, the conference announced Aug. 16. The Redbirds claimed two spots on the seven-player preseason all-conference team, as Jaelyn Keene and Courtney Pence were selected for the honor.
The Redbirds showcased their skills for the first time in front of the public in the team's annual Red and White Scrimmage on Saturday. The Red team earned a 3-1 win over the White squad as the Redbirds geared up for their season-opening weekend in Texas.
Illinois State has limited history with its opponents this weekend. The Redbirds are 0-2 all-time against UCSB, 3-3 against Florida State and 1-1 against Baylor. All three posted winning records last fall, and both Florida State and Baylor played in the NCAA Tournament. Baylor advanced to the second round, while Florida State won a pair of matches to get to the Sweet Sixteen.
The Redbirds will play at Saint Louis' Marcia E. Hamilton Classic, Sept. 1-2, before returning to home to host the Redbird Classic, Sept. 8-9, at Redbird Arena. The tournament field includes Cincinnati, Dayton and Seton Hall.
Links for live video for Saturday's match with Baylor, and links for live stats for all three matches, are available at GoRedbirds.com. Fans can also follow @RedbirdVB on Twitter for live updates and more.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.Â
