Friday, August 25
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
12:30 p.m. CT
Alabama
vs
Mississippi Valley State
Alabama Volleyball Opens Season Hosting Crimson Tide Invitational
8/24/2023 12:43:00 PM | Volleyball
The Crimson Tide will face Mississippi Valley State, Saint Louis and Mercer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama volleyball opens its 2023 season and year two under Head Coach Rashinda Reed this weekend at home, hosting the Crimson Tide Invitational presented by Holiday Inn Express Tuscaloosa-University. Action in Foster Auditorium begins Friday, Aug. 25 as the Crimson Tide will face Mississippi Valley State (12:30 p.m.) and Saint Louis (7 p.m.) before concluding the tournament Saturday against Mercer (2 p.m.)
This Week: Crimson Tide Invitational Presented by Holiday Inn Express Tuscaloosa-University
- Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Foster Auditorium
- Live Stream: SEC Network+
- Friday, Aug. 25 vs. Mississippi Valley State – 12:30 p.m. CT
- Friday, Aug. 25 vs. Saint Louis – 7 p.m. CT
- Saturday, Aug. 26 vs. Mercer – 2 p.m. CT
Scouting Alabama
- Alabama opens its 2023 season this weekend hosting the Crimson Tide Invitational presented by Holiday Inn Express Tuscaloosa-University
- The Crimson Tide will face Mississippi State and Saint Louis on Friday before closing out the weekend against Mercer on Saturday
- This marks the third time in the last four seasons Alabama has opened the season at home
- Head Coach Rashinda Reed enters her second season at the helm of the program, winning 10 games which was the most for the Tide since 2019
- Alabama's wins last season over Texas A&M and Tennessee were its first against them since 2018 and 2017, respectively
- The Tide was ranked in the top three in the SEC last season in aces and digs
- Alabama welcomes back eight returners from last season while adding eight newcomers, including seven freshmen and junior transfer Francesca Bertucci
All-Time vs. the Opponents
- MVSU - 1st Meeting (0-0)
- Saint Louis - 8th Meeting (3-4)
- Last Meeting: Sept. 11, 2015 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - L, 2-3
- H: 1-1 | A: 1-2 | N: 1-1
- Mercer - 3rd Meeting (2-0)
- Last Meeting: Sept. 1, 2006 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - W, 3-1
- H: 2-0 | A: 0-0 | N: 0-0
Entering Year Two Under Head Coach Rashinda Reed
- Rashinda Reed enters her second season as Alabama's head coach in 2023
- Her first season in Tuscaloosa included wins over Missouri, Texas A&M, South Carolina and Tennessee, while the team ranked in the top three in the SEC in aces and digs
- Fifth-year senior Abby Marjama cracked the UA single-season and career top 10 in aces, ranking in the top five nationally in aces-per-set
- Off the court, the team produced a program-best four CSC Academic All-District honorees in Abby Marjama, Kendyl Reaugh, Victoria Schmer and Alyiah Wells
Meet the 2023 Crimson Tide Newcomers
- Allison Berent is a freshman defensive specialist from Rochester Hills, Mich., who was named an AVCA and Under Armour All-American in 2022 ranked as a five-star recruit for the class of 2023 by VBallRecruiter.com
- Francesca Bertucci transferred to Alabama after playing her first two years at Northern Illinois, winning 2022 MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors with the second highest digs-per-set average in the nation last season
- Kyla Dunaway is a 6'4" outside hitter from Kimberly, Wisc., and was a two-time AVCA Phenom award winner (2020-21), guiding her team to consecutive top-three finishes at USA Nationals in 2021 and 2022
- Lily Hopkins is a freshman defensive specialist from Tomball, Texas who was a 2022 AVCA All-Region honoree and 2021 AVCA Under Armour Next Athlete award winner
- Callie Kieffer is a freshman setter out of Prosper, Texas who earned AVCA First Team High School All-America honors as a senior, also earning a spot on the AVCA First Team 'Best and Brightest'
- Gabbi LeBlanc is a freshman setter hailing from Phoenix, Ariz., earning High School Student-Athlete of the Year recognition from Desert Vista High School as a senior and finding a spot on the 2022 AVCA All-America Watch List
- Kaleigh Palmer is a 6'4" hitter from Wapakoneta, Ohio, a two-time Western Buckeye League Player of the Year honoree and three-time District 8 D1 Player of the Year out of Wapakoneta High School
- Jordyn Towns is a 6'6" middle blocker from Loganville, Ga., who was a 2022 GIAA 3A state champion, Region 4AAA Player of the Year winner and GIAA 3A Player of the Year nominee
Alabama to Appear Five Times on ESPN Family of Networks
- Alabama is slated to appear five times on the SEC Network this season
- Every home match and road SEC contest, whether televised or not, will also be streamed on the SEC Network Plus, available at WatchEPSN.com or on the ESPN app
2023 SEC Network Matches
- Sunday, Sept. 24 at Mississippi State - 4 p.m. CT
- Wednesday, Oct. 4 vs. Tennessee - 7 p.m. CT
- Wednesday, Oct. 11 vs. Missouri - 7 p.m. CT
- Sunday, Oct. 15 at Arkansas - 6 p.m. CT
- Sunday, Oct. 29 vs. Auburn - 11 a.m. CT
Up Next: Green Wave Classic (New Orleans, La.)
- Friday, Sept. 1 at Tulane - 6:30 p.m. CT
- Saturday, Sept. 2 vs. Alabama A&M - 12 p.m. CT
- Sunday, Sept. 3 vs. Sam Houston - 11 a.m. CT
Players Mentioned
L/DS
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballSaint Louis vs Alabama: Alyiah Wells Postgame Interview
Saturday, August 26
Alabama Takes Down Tennessee, 3-1
Wednesday, November 23
Condensed Game Highlights: Alabama VS Tennessee
Wednesday, November 23
Condensed Highlights: Volleyball Sweeps South Carolina
Saturday, November 12
