TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State volleyball team will kick off the 2014 campaign as it host the 2014 Holiday Inn Classic Friday and Saturday at ISU Arena. ISU welcomes Akron, Chicago State, North Carolina A&T and Wright State to Terre Haute for the two-day tournament.

A total of nine games are scheduled for the two-day event, with North Carolina A&T and Chicago State kicking things off at 9 a.m. Friday morning. ISU will hit the floor looking to claim is sixth-straight season opener win at 12 p.m. against Wright State.

“The team has been working extremely hard in the preseason and they are ready to take the court and put practice into action” ISU head coach Traci Dahl-Skinner said. “We have a lot of different options this year, and many players can play multiple positions.”

The Sycamores also have the night cap game on Friday, facing Akron at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, ISU faces Chicago State at 1 p.m. and North Carolina A&T in the tournament finale at 7 p.m.

ISU is coming off a 13-17 (6-12 MVC) campaign in 2013 and returns nine letterwinners and four starters from a season ago. The Sycamores' attack will be powered by the trio of hitters that tallied over 200 kills apiece in 2013, including sophomore outside hitter Bree Spangler (244 kills, 186 digs, 21 blocks), junior middle blocker Cassandra Willis (240 kills, 90 blocks) and senior middle blocker Kyla Thomas (201 kills, 91 blocks). 

Junior outside hitter Victoria Swigart (170 kills, 37 blocks) will also add to the battalion at the net for the Sycamores, while junior setter Erika Nord, who shared time at the setter position last season, also returns to the floor for Indiana State.

The Sycamores also welcome a stellar freshman class that was ranked honorable mention by PrepVolleyball.com. Defensive specialists Stephanie Bindernagel and Danielle Waedekin will provide depth in the back row while Rachel Griffin will compete for time at setter. Outside hitters Danielle McCormick and Sarah Patterson will also provide a lift to the Sycamores' attack.

Admission for the Holiday Inn Classic is free. The team will also host the Terre Haute Humane Society for a fundraiser on Saturday. Fans are asked to bring donations for the shelter. Team posters will also be available to fans at the door.

For the latest information on the Sycamore Women's Volleyball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.