COMMERCE – A new era begins for the Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball this weekend when it begins the 2023 season at the UTSA Invitational.
LIONS' WEEKEND SCHEDULE IN SAN ANTONIO
| Date |
Time |
Opponent |
Coverage |
| Friday, Aug. 25 |
12:30 p.m. |
vs. Missouri State |
Live Stats |
| Friday, Aug. 25 |
4 p.m. |
vs. Texas Southern |
Live Stats |
| Saturday, Aug. 26 |
2 p.m. |
at UTSA |
Watch | Live Stats |
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE LIONS
After beginning the season in San Antonio, the Lions head to Abilene Christian on Tuesday for a mid-week match and travel across the state to Lubbock for the Texas Tech Invitational on September 1-2.
A NEW ERA
Joe Morales takes over as coach of the Lion Volleyball program this season. A veteran in the coaching ranks, this is his first season as a head coach, but not the first in the Southland. Morales was an assistant coach at McNeese last season.
NEW FACES ON THE BENCH
Morales is joined by
Morgan Williams on the coaching staff as an assistant coach, while
Makenna Hanssen returns as the program's graduate assistant coach.
A LOOK AT THE NEW LIONS
Eight new Lions join the roster in 2023, five are transfers, while three are freshmen.
The freshmen for the Lions are
Martyna Lewinska (Wieliczka, Poland),
Kitana Tuufuli (San Antonio – Steele), and
Avery Wilks (Mont Belvieu – Barbers Hill).
The five Lion transfers are
Fiona Arnold (Herzberg, Germany) from Garden City Community College,
Taylor Borden (Gregory-Portland) from Weatherford College,
Peyton Plant (Littleton, Colo.) from Southern Illinois,
Peyton Roper (Converse – Judson) from Hastings College, and
Jade Smith (Houston – Mayde Creek) from Temple College.
INTERNATIONAL LOVE
Four countries are represented on the 2023 roster for the Lions. Fourteen players are from the United States, while one each hail from Brazil, Poland, and Germany.
GOING STREAKING
This season, the Lions are looking to make the postseason for the 12
th season in a row, which is the longest active streak of any program at A&M-Commerce.
BUILDING UPON 2022
Last season was A&M-Commerce's first season in NCAA Division I and the Southland Conference. The season was filled with many historical wins for the Lions, who beat Prairie View A&M for their first Division I win, swept Southeastern, who won the 2023 SLC Tournament and played in the NCAA Tournament, and downed New Orleans in the SLC Tournament.
SOUTHLAND PRESEASON POLL
Entering their second season in the Southland Conference, the Lions were picked seventh in the preseason conference poll.
| 1. |
HCU (8) |
120 |
| 2. |
Southeastern Louisiana (8) |
118 |
| 3. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
96 |
| 4. |
McNeese |
93 |
| 5. |
Northwestern State |
82 |
| 6. |
UIW |
58 |
| 7. |
A&M-COMMERCE |
55 |
| 8. |
New Orleans |
53 |
| 9. |
Nicholls |
23 |
| 10. |
Lamar |
22 |
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Missouri State and A&M-Commerce begin the season against each other on Friday. The Bears went 9-21 last season and 6-12 in the Missouri Valley Conference. They return over 76 percent of production, statistically, from last season.
Texas Southern and the Lions meet for the first time in the regular season on Friday afternoon. The Tigers went 9-19 last season, though all nine wins were against Southwestern Athletic Conference teams. TSU made the SWAC Tournament, but fell in the first round to Jackson State.
UTSA enters the American Athletic Conference this year, facing the Lions for the first time since 1990. The Lions are 3-2 all-time in the series, but this is the first meeting between the two teams in San Antonio.
A&M-Commerce vs. UTSA Prior Meetings
| Date |
Location |
Result |
| 9/21/84 |
Tulsa, Okla. |
TAMUC 3, UTSA 1 |
| 9/14/85 |
Nacogdoches |
UTSA 3, TAMUC 0 |
| 9/17/88 |
Commerce |
TAMUC 3, UTSA 2 |
| 10/5/89 |
Commerce |
TAMUC 3, UTSA 1 |
| 9/8/90 |
Austin |
UTSA 3, TAMUC 0 |
The Roadrunners went 8-18 last season overall and 3-11 in Conference USA. Four of the eight wins came against SLC teams.
-TAMUC-
