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Princeton University Athletics
Friday, August 31
Hamilton, N.Y.
12:00 PM
Princeton University
vs
Northwestern
Photo by: Luke Lu
Five Questions Surrounding Ivy Champ Volleyball Team Before Season Opener vs. Northwestern
August 30, 2018 | Women's Volleyball
The three-time reigning Ivy League champion women's volleyball team — which was picked atop the Ivy League's inaugural preseason poll earlier this week — will make its return to the court this weekend at the Ellis Rowland Memorial Tournament in Hamilton, N.Y. Princeton will play three times, including its season opener against unbeaten Big 10 standout Northwestern, as well as a Saturday morning showdown with Colgate on the Patriot League Network.
You can find all pertinent links for the weekend below.
As the Tigers look to win a fourth straight Ivy League title for the first time in more than three decades, here are five questions about Princeton and a promise-filled 2018 season that can't begin soon enough for a squad looking to return to the NCAA tournament.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE & LINKS
Who Is Back For The Tigers?
Well, pretty much everybody who contributed offensively last season has returned. Outside of the libero position, Princeton returns every starter from its 2017 Ivy League championship team, including Ivy Player of the Year Maggie O'Connell. In fact, Princeton has four starters (O'Connell, Jessie Harris, Nnenna Ibe and Devon Peterkin) who were key members of the Tigers' 2016 run of dominance throughout the league. Heck, Ibe started during the incredible championship comeback in 2015. Experience isn't an issue for this team.
So What's New This Fall?
Regardless of experience, every collegiate team gets an infusion of talent from its freshman class, and Princeton head coach Sabrina King is excited about the potential of the Class of 2022. The Tigers welcomed Cameron Dames, Grace Klepetka, Elena Montgomery, and Julia Schner into the most decorated program in the Ivy League, and the quartet brings both talent and positional versatility.
Because of the graduation of both Maddie Huber and Kelly Matthews, there will be at least one new starter this fall. King has a variety of options at the libero position, including Lauren Flaming, who got significant experience as a defensive specialist last year, and Dames, a two-time All-Georgia honoree.
Will Princeton Be Tested Before Ivy Play?
Um, yeah.
Princeton plays a Big 10 team in all three of its pre-Ivy tournaments, and those three teams combined to go 8-1 last weekend. The Tigers also play teams like Towson, Long Beach State, Temple … and 2017 NCAA Sweet 16 qualifier Missouri. This isn't unchartered waters for Princeton; King has challenged her team early in each of the last two seasons, and both of those seasons ended pretty well.
What Should We Expect From Ivy League Play?
Simply put, expect the unexpected.
Of the last three seasons, two were as wild as they come. In 2015, Princeton lost the first three matches, but became the first team in Ivy history — any sport, male or female — to win the league from an 0-3 hole. Last season, the Tigers trailed Yale by two matches with five to play, caught the Bulldogs for a share of the crown, rallied from a crazy Set 1 deficit in the tiebreaker and clinched an NCAA tournament return in New Haven.
Yale, the only other team to receive first-place votes in the preseason poll, should be strong once again, while the likes of Harvard and Penn both have championship experience this season. Cornell, Columbia and Dartmouth each earned home wins over Princeton last season, while Brown is one of three Ivy teams with a new head coach this season. Fridays and Saturdays should be as fun as ever this fall.
How Do I Follow Princeton In 2018?
An exciting new partnership between the Ivy League and ESPN means you will see the majority of Princeton's Ivy League matches on ESPN+, which is a significantly cheaper subscription than the Ivy League Network one from 2017 (learn more here). All of Princeton's road matches will be streamed live on ESPN+, and other non-Ivy road matches could be streamed by their respective opponents, including Saturday's match at Colgate. For the first time in program history, Princeton will appear on an ESPN linear network, as the 2017 Ivy playoff rematch at Yale will be televised live on ESPNU when the Tigers and Bulldogs will meet Oct. 26.
Of course, you should follow @PrincetonVolley on social media throughout the season for complete coverage of the team.
You can find all pertinent links for the weekend below.
As the Tigers look to win a fourth straight Ivy League title for the first time in more than three decades, here are five questions about Princeton and a promise-filled 2018 season that can't begin soon enough for a squad looking to return to the NCAA tournament.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE & LINKS
| Date | Time | Opponent | Live Stats | Live Video | ||
| Friday | 12 pm | Northwestern | Yes | No | @PrincetonVolley | @NUVball |
| Friday | 4 pm | Stephen F. Austin | Yes | No | @PrincetonVolley | @SFA_Volleyball |
| Saturday | 11 am | Colgate | Yes | Yes | @PrincetonVolley | @ColgateVB |
Who Is Back For The Tigers?
Well, pretty much everybody who contributed offensively last season has returned. Outside of the libero position, Princeton returns every starter from its 2017 Ivy League championship team, including Ivy Player of the Year Maggie O'Connell. In fact, Princeton has four starters (O'Connell, Jessie Harris, Nnenna Ibe and Devon Peterkin) who were key members of the Tigers' 2016 run of dominance throughout the league. Heck, Ibe started during the incredible championship comeback in 2015. Experience isn't an issue for this team.
So What's New This Fall?
Regardless of experience, every collegiate team gets an infusion of talent from its freshman class, and Princeton head coach Sabrina King is excited about the potential of the Class of 2022. The Tigers welcomed Cameron Dames, Grace Klepetka, Elena Montgomery, and Julia Schner into the most decorated program in the Ivy League, and the quartet brings both talent and positional versatility.
Because of the graduation of both Maddie Huber and Kelly Matthews, there will be at least one new starter this fall. King has a variety of options at the libero position, including Lauren Flaming, who got significant experience as a defensive specialist last year, and Dames, a two-time All-Georgia honoree.
Will Princeton Be Tested Before Ivy Play?
Um, yeah.
Princeton plays a Big 10 team in all three of its pre-Ivy tournaments, and those three teams combined to go 8-1 last weekend. The Tigers also play teams like Towson, Long Beach State, Temple … and 2017 NCAA Sweet 16 qualifier Missouri. This isn't unchartered waters for Princeton; King has challenged her team early in each of the last two seasons, and both of those seasons ended pretty well.
What Should We Expect From Ivy League Play?
Simply put, expect the unexpected.
Of the last three seasons, two were as wild as they come. In 2015, Princeton lost the first three matches, but became the first team in Ivy history — any sport, male or female — to win the league from an 0-3 hole. Last season, the Tigers trailed Yale by two matches with five to play, caught the Bulldogs for a share of the crown, rallied from a crazy Set 1 deficit in the tiebreaker and clinched an NCAA tournament return in New Haven.
Yale, the only other team to receive first-place votes in the preseason poll, should be strong once again, while the likes of Harvard and Penn both have championship experience this season. Cornell, Columbia and Dartmouth each earned home wins over Princeton last season, while Brown is one of three Ivy teams with a new head coach this season. Fridays and Saturdays should be as fun as ever this fall.
How Do I Follow Princeton In 2018?
An exciting new partnership between the Ivy League and ESPN means you will see the majority of Princeton's Ivy League matches on ESPN+, which is a significantly cheaper subscription than the Ivy League Network one from 2017 (learn more here). All of Princeton's road matches will be streamed live on ESPN+, and other non-Ivy road matches could be streamed by their respective opponents, including Saturday's match at Colgate. For the first time in program history, Princeton will appear on an ESPN linear network, as the 2017 Ivy playoff rematch at Yale will be televised live on ESPNU when the Tigers and Bulldogs will meet Oct. 26.
Of course, you should follow @PrincetonVolley on social media throughout the season for complete coverage of the team.
Players Mentioned
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