MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will open its 2019 season this weekend at the Purdue-Fort Wayne Invitational at Gates Sports Center in Fort Wayne, Ind.

South Alabama will kick off the tournament on Fri., Aug. 30 against Western Michigan at 10 a.m. (CT), followed by a 3:30 p.m. (CT) contest with Northern Kentucky. The Jaguars will close the tournament with a 10 a.m. (CT) match on Sat., Aug. 31, against host Purdue-Fort Wayne.

Each match of the tournament will be broadcast and available for free through the Mastodons' YouTube channel at Youtube.com/gomastodons/live, and can also be accessed through the Jaguar volleyball schedule page at USAJaguars.com. Live stats for each match will also be available and can be accessed through the volleyball schedule page at USAJaguars.com.

Friday's contest between USA and WMU will mark the first-ever meeting between the schools. NKU holds a 1-0 all-time lead over the Jaguars after defeating USA in Tuscaloosa, Ala., in 1978. Saturday's match between the Jags and Purdue-Fort Wayne will also mark the first-ever meeting between the programs.

South Alabama returns nine letterwinners from last year's 13-17 squad that finished third in the Sun Belt Conference East Division, and welcomes four newcomers to the program for 2019. Senior middle blocker Kelley Hartman, a Second-Team All-Sun Belt selection in 2018, was voted Preseason All-Sun Belt for this season after ranking fifth in the league in service aces per set (0.31) and 10th in hitting percentage (.296) a year ago. 

Sophomore setter Rachael DeMarcus finished eighth in the Sun Belt in assists per set (6.83) last season, and ranked eighth in assists per set (8.10) in league matches. Junior outside hitter Meaghan Jones ranked tied for seventh in the conference in kills per set (2.98) in Sun Belt matches in 2018. Senior defensive specialist Ashlyn Roberts ranked eighth in the Sun Belt in service aces per set (0.29) last season, and finished tied for fourth in service aces per set (0.33) in league contests. Junior middle blocker Morgan Stalcup ranked fifth in the league in hitting percentage (.347).

Hartman enters the season ranked third in career hitting percentage (.283) at South Alabama, seventh in block-assists (223) and blocks per set (0.93), and 10th in total blocks (285).

Friday's match against WMU will mark the beginning of the Alexis Meeks-Rydell era at USA, who is in her first season as head coach of the Jaguars.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Rally Score Club, the volleyball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Rally Score Club go directly to support the South Alabama volleyball program. For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/rallyscoreclub.