Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Volleyball Opens 2011 Season at TCU Invitational
August 25, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 25, 2011
Match Notes | Live Stats | Live Video (TCU match only) | 
Preview
FORT WORTH, Texas - Texas Tech opens the Don Flora era Friday evening as the Red Raiders begin the season at the TCU Invitational, facing the host Horned Frogs at 7 p.m. in the University Recreation Center.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, Aug. 26
Grambling State vs. Connecticut - 4:30 p.m.
Texas Tech vs. TCU - 7 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 27
Texas Tech vs. Connecticut - 10:30 a.m.
TCU vs. Grambling State - 1 p.m.
Texas Tech vs. Grambling State - 4 p.m.
TCU vs. Connecticut - 7 p.m.
FLORA TIME AT TEXAS TECH
Since his hire in January, Don Flora has already changed the culture that is Texas Tech Volleyball. The former New Mexico State assistant arrived at Tech in January, becoming the eighth head coach in school history while inheriting a program that had struggled in recent years. Prior to his two seasons at New Mexico State, Flora spent 11 seasons as the head coach at his alma mater, the University of La Verne, amassing a 269-59 record in that span. His .820 winning percentage currently ranked 15th among active coaches with five years of experience and 12th among those with 10 years of experience all-time. The California native will look to continue that trend at Tech.
THE SERIES
• Despite being former Southwest Conference members, Texas Tech and TCU have faced each other only four times on the court. The Red Raiders have maintained a 3-1 advantage in the series that is being renewed for the first time since 2008. Three of the four all-time meetings have been played in Lubbock, with the lone matchup in Ft. Worth resulting in a 3-0 Tech sweep on Sept. 5, 2000. The Horned Frogs won the previous meeting between the two schools, defeating the Red Raiders in five sets in Lubbock on Sept. 12, 2008.
• Saturday's matches against both Connecticut and Grambling State will be the first in school history.
RED RAIDERS IN SEASON OPENERS
Texas Tech has historically fared well in season openers as the Red Raiders are 28-11 all-time. The Red Raiders have not opened the season with a win since 2008, however, when they defeated North Texas, 3-0, in Denton. Tech has been swept in its season opener the last two seasons, falling to Creighton in 2009 and Rice last season. The Red Raiders have never opened the season against TCU.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Raiders will open their home schedule next weekend with the Texas Tech Invitational. The tournament, Tech's first at home since the 2008 season, will host Central Arkansas, Northwestern State, Morehead State, and UNLV over the course of two days. Tech will face Central Arkansas at 2 p.m. Friday and follow with Northwestern State at 6 p.m. later that evening. The Red Raiders close the tournament Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. against Morehead State.
DOWDY NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12
Senior Amanda Dowdy was recognized prior to the season as Tech's only selection on the Preseason All-Big 12 team. Dowdy was among the top offensive players in the conference a year ago en route to be selected to the All-Big 12 first team following the season. This marks the second-straight season Dowdy has been honored on the preseason and first as a unanimous selection.
RED RAIDERS WILL BE YOUNG
Texas Tech will be one of the younger teams in the country as 15 of the program's 21 players are listed as either a freshman or sophomore. Two of the squad's six upperclassmen, juniors Ciara Gibson and Kelly Chiffer, will both redshirt this season, giving the Red Raiders only four upperclassmen on the court - seniors Amanda Dowdy and Karlyn Meyers and juniors Miara Cave and Tory Vaughan.
MEYERS ADDS EXPERIENCE AT SETTER
With such a young roster, the Red Raiders will rely on senior setter Karlyn Meyers at the setter position. A two-year starter, Meyers is one of the most-accomplished setters in school history as she is already among the top 10 all-time in career assists and assists per set average.
FLORA ADDS VETERAN ASSISTANT IN CORONEL
One of the first things Don Flora said he wanted once he arrived at Texas Tech was to hire another proven assistant. He got his wish when Jojit Coronel compiled the Tech staff. Coronel, the head coach at George Washington the previous 10 seasons, joins fellow assistant Beth Falls and director of operations Amy Gandy.
CAVE PRIMED FOR STELLAR JUNIOR SEASON
When asked who his most improved player was at the end of spring, Don Flora did not have to hesitate to say Miara Cave. Flora's has described Cave's spring as "going back to the basics" as the junior primarily worked on her footwork. The result has been a new-found confidence for Cave, who will be looking to improve on last season's numbers where she was second on the team with 176 kills.
VAUGHAN RETURNS TO LIBERO POSITION
Tory Vaughan will return to the libero position this season for the first time since she was a freshman. The now-junior spent the 2010 as a defensive specialist, playing in all 29 matches while finishing fourth on the team with 147 digs. Vaughan played in all but two matches as a freshman, totaling 143 digs in the process, third-highest on the team.
RED RAIDERS BOAST 12 NEWCOMERS
Soon after his hire, Don Flora immediately hit the recruiting trail, traveling all over the country trying to build the Tech roster. The hard work paid off as the Red Raiders boast 12 newcomers to this year's roster, including nine high school prospects.
DAVID LOOKS TO CONTINUE FAMILY LEGACY
Breeann David's commitment to Texas Tech last spring not only gave the program one of the top recruits in the country, but it continued a family legacy. David's mother, the former Megan McGuire, was a standout volleyball athlete for Tech in the 1980s while her father, Stan David, starred on the football team during the same time before being drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 1984 NFL Draft. Both her mother and aunt, Susan Kelly McGuire, are still among the top 10 in school history of every blocking category. David's older sister, Leah David, is also the team's student manager.
RANGEL BACK IN ACTION AFTER INJURY
Dravon Rangel will be back in action for the first time in almost a year this week as the redshirt sophomore missed almost all of last season with a knee injury. Rangel played in two matches of the season-opening Rice Tournament before receiving a medical redshirt at the conclusion of the season. Rangel will be making her return nearly 15 minutes from her hometown of Grand Prairie.
RED RAIDERS ADD SETTER TRANSFER, HRAGYIL
Tech added depth to the setter position last spring as Nicole Hragyil became the first commitment of the Don Flora era, joining the program at midterm just in time to participate in spring drills. Hragyil adds depth for the Red Raiders as she will join Brandy Huskey as a backup to Karlyn Meyers. Both Hragyil and Huskey will also see time as a back row specialist.
STEPHENSON, HRAGYIL RETURN HOME ALSO
In addition to Dravon Rangel, freshmen Amshatar Stephenson and Nicole Hragyil will both be playing close to home this weekend as Stephenson hails from nearby Garland and Hragyil grew up in Carrollton.
