HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Nicholls State University women's volleyball team opens their season at the Southern Miss Invitational Volleyball Tournament on Friday against Alabama A&M at 5 p.m. in Hattiesburg at Reed Green Coliseum.

The tournament field includes Alabama A&M, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Southern Mississippi.

The Colonels will open the weekend against Alabama A&M on Friday before taking on Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 10 a.m. and Southern Miss at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Nicholls finished the 2013 season with a 5-23 record and return nine letterwinners including all six starters. Kayla Bruling and Kayla Mashburn led the Colonels last season in kills with 340 and 302, respectively. Kaylnn Egea was the top digger with 402 while Alyse Barclay shared setting duties with Ainsley Marroccoli.
 
The Colonels spent a challenging 2013 season gaining experience as a young team with only two seniors on the squad. Nicholls will look to put their experience to use and take a major step forward with the addition of a strong offseason signing class.
 
The team will open its season with a daunting 13 consecutive road matches, beginning with this weekend's tournament.
 
Nicholls was ranked 12^th out of 13 teams in both the Preseason Volleyball Coaches' and Sports Information Directors' Polls, receiving 28 points in the coaches' poll to rank eight points behind conference newcomer Abilene Christian. Nicholls had 27 points in the SID poll, finishing 13 points behind ACU.
 
Last year, Nicholls had a young team with only two seniors in the first year of Head Coach Tommy Harold's tenure. This season the Colonels have 10 underclassmen and just three upperclassmen, but return six starters and enter the 2014 a more experienced team.
 
Visit geauxcolonels.com to find live stats and the most up-to-date information on Nicholls women's volleyball.