Touranment Info

THIBODAUX, La. – Tommy Harold and the Nicholls State University women's volleyball team begin the 2013 season on Friday morning, participating in the Kathy Trosclair Memorial Tournament hosted by Tulane University with matches against Mississippi Valley State and Rider.
 
Harold enters his first season leading the Colonel program, as he heads up a talented group of returning players and nine newcomers into the first tournament of the year. Nicholls opens the tournament at 10 a.m. against the Devilettes, with the match against the Broncs at 4:30 p.m. at Devlin Fieldhouse. The team will have the marquee match on Saturday night, taking on Tulane at 7 p.m. in New Orleans.
 
The Opening Serve
The Nicholls State University women's volleyball team opens the 2013 regular season this Friday and Saturday at the Kathy Trosclair Memorial Tournament hosted by Tulane University. Nicholls will be anchored by four returning players from the 2012 squad and nine newcomers. The team will be led by first-year head coach Tommy Harold and assistant coach Ashley Allen. Carley McInnis and Brooke Hopper are the lone seniors among 11 underclassmen that make up the 2013 squad.
 
The Opposition
Mississippi Valley State
Mississippi Valley State is 1-0 on the season after defeating Philander Smith College in straight sets last weekend. The Devilettes are led by second-year head coach Angela Franke who coached MVSU to a 10-15 overall record and third place finish in the Southwestern Athletic Conference eastern division.
 
Rider
The Rider Broncs will head south all the way from Lawrenceville, N.J. to participate in the tournament, led by Christopher Feliciano who is in his third year at Rider. The Broncs were 11-17 last year and finished ninth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with a 4-14 conference mark. Rider is returning five starters and 11 total letterwinners.
 
Tulane
Tulane is coming off of a 6-21 season under fourth-year coach Sinsa Momic. The Green Wave was 4-12 in Conference USA play a year ago and return five starters and six letterwinners. Of their newcomers, seven are freshmen and one is a transfer, returning preseason and second team All-CUSA selection Cori Martone.
 
Series Records
Nicholls is 3-0 all-time against MVSU, winning all three matches in straight sets dating back to the first match in 1993. The Colonels defeated the Devilettes two years ago in a tournament in Lafayette. This will only be the second-ever meeting between Nicholls and the Broncs, the first since 2009 when Nicholls won in straight sets. The Colonels and Tulane will be meeting on the court for the first time since 2005, as Nicholls will be looking for its first win over the Green Wave since 2002.