Pirates Open 2021 Season This Weekend in Utah

OGDEN, UTAH - Swenson Gym

SETON HALL (0-0) at WEBER STATE (0-0)

Date

Time

Live Video

Live Audio

Live Stats

Twitter

Friday,
Aug. 27

1:00 PM ET

None

LIVE STATS

@SHUVolley

LOGAN, UTAH – Wayne Estes Center

SETON HALL (0-0) vs. NORTH DAKOTA (0-0)

Date

Time

Live Video

Live Audio

Live Stats

Twitter

Friday,
Aug. 27

8:00 PM ET

Mountain West
Network

None

LIVE STATS

@SHUVolley

LOGAN, UTAH – Wayne Estes Center

SETON HALL (0-0) at UTAH STATE (0-0)

Date

Time

Live Video

Live Audio

Live Stats

Twitter

Saturday,
Aug. 28

1:00 PM ET

Mountain West
Network

None

LIVE STATS

@SHUVolley

PREVIEW
Seton Hall will play its first non-conference match in two years when it opens the 2021 season in Utah this weekend. The Pirates will play three matches in two different cities starting Friday. The Hall faces host Weber State in Ogden, Utah at 1:00 p.m. ET, before driving to Logan, Utah for a contest against North Dakota at 8:00 p.m. ET. On Saturday, the Pirates will face host Utah State in Logan at 1:00 p.m. ET.

MEDIA
The Pirates' game against Weber State will be broadcast live on ESPN+, while both matches hosted by Utah State will available on the Mountain West Network. Live stats will also be available.

OUTLOOK
Seton Hall enters the 2021 season with its largest team in program history. All 13 members of last year's abbreviated spring season return, and The Hall added six newcomers for a total of 19 student-athletes. Among those returning is middle blocker Amanda Rachwal (Bethlehem, Pa), who comes back for her fifth season in South Orange. The Pirates' lone other seniors are Eden Dolezal (LaPorte, Ind.), Madison Frusha (Huntsville, Texas) and Emilee Turner (Kaysville, Utah).

Also returning is All-BIG EAST selection Tsvetelina Ilieva (Sofia, Bulgaria) and BIG EAST All-Freshman Team setter Taylor Jakubowski (Lake in the Hills, Ill.). Standout libero Raygan Murray (Rocky River, Ohio), who led the conference in digs last year will also return to man the back line.

In addition to five true freshmen, the Pirates get a shot in the arm from Hofstra transfer, Madeline Matheny (Wilmington, Del.), who joins the team with two years of eligibility remaining.

SCOUTING WEBER STATE
Weber State is coming off one of their most successful seasons in program history. The Wildcats won the Big Sky Conference championship and won a game in the NCAA Tournament before falling to top-seeded Wisconsin to end their season. Weber State finished with a remarkable 19-2 record during the shortened spring campaign.

Rylin Adams, Ashlyn Power and Sam Schiess, the Wildcats' three seniors from last season's record setting squad, all decided to come back for one more season in Ogden. Emma Mangum, Dani Nay and Makayla Sorensen, who were all core contributors on the Big Sky Championship winning team from the 2021 spring season, are also slated to return for the upcoming season. Weber State was unanimously chosen to repeat as Big Sky champions via the preseason coaches' poll.

This will be the first-ever meeting between Seton Hall and Weber State.

SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota is coming off a rough spring 2021 campaign that saw them win just two of 18 contests. The Fighting Hawks finished their abbreviated season with 14 consecutive losses.

Lexi Ahrens returns for her senior year. She led the Fighting Hawks with 2.46 kills per set and a .248 attack percentage last season.

North Dakota will open the season against Utah State early on Friday.

SCOUTING UTAH STATE
Utah State is coming off a 5-10 record during the spring of 2021.

The Aggies return eight letterwinners from the 2021 season, including three of its four top attackers in sophomore outside Tatum Stall, senior middle Corinne Larson and senior outside Kristy Frank. That trio finished first, third and fourth in total kills a season ago. Junior setter Kalena Vaivai led the Aggies with 366 assists, good for sixth in the Mountain West with 7.32 per set during the spring, and was one of four players with triple-digit digs.

Utah State was selected to finish ninth in the 11-team Mountain West Conference, according to the league coaches in the preseason poll.

UP NEXT
Next weekend, the Pirates will remain local for the Fairfield Invitational in Connecticut. The Pirates will face host Fairfield at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by Hofstra at 4:30 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 4, The Hall will finish the tournament with a match against Kent State at 11:00 a.m.