Invitational Webpage

PENSACOLA, Fla. – After a nearly two year wait, the University of West Florida Volleyball team under Head Coach Melissa Wolter will finally be back in action this week when they host the 2021 Springhill Suites Invitational from the UWF Field House.

In what will be the sixth straight season in which the Argonauts have begun their season hosting a multi-team event, this year's field offers West Florida a look at some of the nation's top talent from across the country right out of the gate. Featuring the likes of Palm Beach Atlantic, Southern Indiana, Spring Hill, and Wheeling, this invitational spanning from Sep. 2-4 is sure to bring much excitement and competitiveness that many fans have missed this past year.

Play kicks off on Sep. 2 for West Florida when they open the invitational against Wheeling at 6 pm from the UWF Field House. Friday, Sep. 3 sees five matches played throughout the day with the Argonauts facing Spring Hill at 2 pm before closing out the day against Southern Indiana at 7 pm. On the final day of the invitational, four matches will be played with West Florida concluding the festivities with a match against Palm Beach Atlantic at 5:30 pm.

As a reminder to fans planning to attend any matches this weekend, face coverings should be worn indoors in all building on campus. 

Tickets for this weekends Invitational can be bought at the Field House with single-day admission running $5 for general admission, $3 for seniors, military, and students, and free for UWF faculty, staff, and students as well as children under six.

About West Florida: The Argonauts start their 2021 campaign once again as preseason favorites in the Gulf South Conference as voted on by the coaches in the conference. With two players on the Preseason All-GSC Team, West Florida will look to rely on a mix of experience and youth to live up to expectations this season.

Having a roster including nine freshmen, this Argonauts team will feature many new faces that fans will quickly get to know. However, many recognizable names do return for West Florida as Veresia Yon, Ashton Marshall, and Taylor Vaneekeren each come back in 2021 looking to continue their collegiate success here at UWF.

About Palm Beach Atlantic: Receiving votes in the Preseason AVCA Poll, the Sailfish are looking to start their season on a high note this weekend. Playing in the highly competitive Sunshine State Conference, PBA was tabbed to finish sixth in the conference's preseason rankings.

Coming off of an 18-13 season in 2019, the Sailfish are comprised of many young players who are looking to make their collegiate debut this season. Including 12 athletes who have yet to play for PBA, the Sailfish will rely heavily on Amber Rowoldt, Jazz Schmidt, and Ally Smith to bring experience this season.

About Southern Indiana: Picked to finish second in the GLVC East Division, the Eagles are soaring high after capturing their first GLVC Tournament Title since 2004 last Spring. Currently, sitting just outside the Top 25 in the AVCA Preseason Poll, Southern Indiana brings back much of their roster that had them ranked as the No. 15 team in the country this past Spring.

Some of these players include all six of their starters from the 2020-21 season which features the likes of Leah Anderson, Casey Cepicky, Katherine Koch, and Taylor Litteken whom all earned All-GLVC honors last Spring.

About Spring Hill: The Badgers come into this year's Springhill Suites Invitational as the preseason favorites in the SIAC Western Division. Since joining the conference in 2014, Spring Hill has gone 107-1 in conference regular-season play including winning the past three SIAC regular-season titles and the past two Tournament Championships.

In addition to their first-place conference distinction, the Badgers also had three players earn Preseason All-SIAC honors including libero Taylor Fontenelle who was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

About Wheeling: Coming in as the No. 23 ranked team in the nation, the Cardinals are another team chosen atop their conference's preseason poll earning the first-place distinction in the MEC North Division.

Coming off of their eighth straight Mountain East Conference Championship in the Spring, Wheeling enters the 2021 season with a deep 26 player roster that features many talented players. Led by seven seniors, including the four-time MEC Libero of the Year Audrey Francis, the Cardinals will incorporate a nice mix of experience and youth when they begin their season on Thursday.

Complete Invitational Schedule:
Thursday – West Florida vs Wheeling (6 pm)
Friday – Palm Beach Atlantic vs Spring Hill (9 am)
Friday – Wheeling vs Southern Indiana (11:30 am)
Friday – West Florida vs Spring Hill (2 pm)
Friday – Palm Beach Atlantic vs Wheeling (4:30 pm)
Friday – West Florida vs Southern Indiana (7 pm)
Saturday – Wheeling vs Spring Hill (9 am)
Saturday – Southern Indiana vs Palm Beach Atlantic (11 am)
Saturday – Spring Hill vs Southern Indiana (3 pm)
Saturday – West Florida vs Palm Beach Atlantic (5 pm)

How to Follow the Argos: For complete information on UWF Volleyball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @UWFVolleyball