THIBODAUX, La. - After more than two weeks of intense practices, the Nicholls State University women's volleyball team opens the 2012 season on Friday morning participating in the Missouri Tiger Invitational. The annual event will pit the Colonels against the hosting Tigers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Michigan Wolverines and North Florida Ospreys.


"We've had a really good preseason set of practices and now it's time for the team to put everything they have into this season," first-year head coach Patrick Hiltz said. 


The Colonels will have their first-ever meetings against Mizzou, Michigan and North Florida, but have faced Virginia Tech almost 20 years ago, defeating the Hokies in a tournament in 1991.
 
Friday's action will have the Colonels taking on Michigan Friday morning at 10:30 a.m., then Virginia Tech at 2:30 p.m. On Saturday, Nicholls will face the Tigers at 12:30 p.m., then North Florida at 4:30 p.m. later that afternoon.
 
Links for live stats of the entire tournament will be available at geauxcolonels.com.
 
Tournament Team Notes
 
Michigan – Coming off of their fourth trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen last season… The Wolverines have not dropped a season opener since 2005… Michigan returns just four starters and seven letterwinners from last year's team that finished 22-13 overall… Michigan is ranked 23^rd in the preseason AVCA poll.
 
Missouri – Entering into their first season as member of the Southeastern Conference… Was 21-13 on the season in 2011 and made the NCAA tournament for the tenth time in 12 seasons… Mizzou is 28-2 all-time in their home tournament, with losses coming to Virginia Tech and Michigan…. The Tigers were picked to finish fourth in the SEC East and returns All-American Lisa Henning.
 
Virginia Tech – Hokies picked to finish seventh in the ACC… VT was 18-13 last season and 11-9 in the conference… Cara Baarendise, an honorable mention All-American from last year was named to the preseason All-ACC squad… Virginia Tech returns four starters and a libero from the 2011 team, including two players that had over 300 kills.
 
North Florida – Begin 2012 under new head coach Steve Loeswick, who played volleyball at USC and was an assistant coach for 14 years before going to UNF… There are 11 veteran players and five seniors on the Osprey's squad this year… North Florida was picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Sun conference after finishing 14-17 last year and 5-8 in the A-Sun.