Women's Volleyball August 25, 2016

Milwaukee Volleyball Kicks Of 2016 Season Friday

Team hosts Panther Invitational inside Klotsche Center

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee volleyball team kicks off the 2016 season Friday by hosting the Pepsi Panther Invitational. UWM will open things up at 12:30 on Friday by taking on Bradley before a 7:30 pm match against Akron. The Panthers close out this year's tournament on Saturday with a 1 pm contest against Western Illinois.

• Scouting Notebook
The Panthers have plenty of history with each of this weekend's opponents. Bradley holds a slim 8-7 lead in the all-time series, claiming a five-set win in the last meeting back in 2012. The Braves enter this season with a new head coach as Carol Price-Torok taking over after spending the past eight seasons as associate head coach at Arkansas. Milwaukee holds a 5-2 lead over Akron head-to-head, winning most recently 3-1 at Akron's home tournament in 2013. The Zips return 11 letterwinners from last year's team that went 8-21. Meanwhile, Western Illinois and UWM have not met since 1996, with the Leathernecks holding a 6-3 lead in the series.

• Young Panthers
Susie Johnson has quite a few newcomers on this year's Panther squad with many figuring to play key rolls this season. In fact, Milwaukee sports one of the youngest teams, not only in the Horizon League but in the entire country. With seven true freshman and only five upperclassmen, making them by far the youngest team in the conference this year.

• She Can Dig It
Myanna Ruiz moved from outside to libero last season and made a seamless transition. In fact, the senior's average of 4.99 digs per set was just shy of a single-season school record - with Lauren Felsing's mark of 5.04 back in 2008 currently the top mark. Additionally, Ruiz finished in the top-10 in total digs for a season with 57 - just 66 shy of the single season. Felsing is also the record-holder in that category with 645, also in 2008.

• All-Horizon League
Myanna Ruiz and Maddie Williams each were awarded All-Horizon League honors last year. Ruiz was named to the All-League Team after leading Milwaukee with an outstanding 579 digs this season for an average of 4.99 digs/set. Meanwhile, Williams earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team. The newcomer from Normal, Ill. has appeared in all 30 matches last season, making 27 starts. She wass second on the team in kills with 251 and first on the team in blocks with 69, with both of those figures ranking in the top-10 in program history for a freshman.

• For Starters
The 2016 season marks the 44th season of Milwaukee Panther volleyball and the 27th at the Division-I level. UWM has won five of its last six season openers dating back to 2010 and is 5-4 all-time in openers under head coach Susie Johnson. Milwaukee will look to tip the scales in the right direction on Friday, currently holding an even 13-13 record in season openers since moving to the DI ranks in 1990.

• Panther Invitational History
While it has gone through some name changes over the years, this year marks the 18th running of the Pepsi Panther Invitational and the 16th time in the last 18 years Milwauke has hosted its own tournament. UWM has had plenty of success while bringing in some of the best teams in the nation to its court, going 39-20 since the move to Division I, including posting a perfect record five times.

• Hitting The Century Mark
Myanna Ruiz reached a milestone mark last year when she collected her 1,000th dig during her Milwaukee career. Ruiz achieved the memorable feat Oct. 10th at UIC, becoming the 12th player in program history to reach the remarkable accomplishiment.

• Gimme Five
Milwaukee played in some thrilling matches last season, with 10 of their 30 total matches going the full five sets. That marked the second-highest total for a single season and was just one shy of the school record of 11 set back in 1998.

• It's Good To Be Home
When it comes to home court advantage, Milwaukee has proven to make the Klotsche Center one of the toughest places to play. The Panthers posted a 7-4 mark last year to up their home record to 82-28 under head coach Susie Johnson, good for a winning percentage of .745. Here's Milwaukee's year-by-year home record under Johnson:

2015: 7-4
2014: 9-3
2013: 8-1
2012: 5-7
2011: 12-2
2010: 10-4
2009: 8-4
2008: 10-2
2007: 13-1

• Up Next
Milwaukee hits the road for the first time this season, heading out east to Fairfield, Conn. for the Hampton Inn Shelton Invitational. In addition to host Sacred Heart, UWM will take on Dartmouth Friday afternoon and George Mason Saturday at 3:30 pm Central Time.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Maggie Dunbar: RS; 6' 2"; Senior

#5 Kayla Price: S; 5' 9"; Senior

#15 Maddie Williams: MB; 5' 11"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#12 Maggie Dunbar
: 6' 2"; Senior
: RS

#5 Kayla Price
: 5' 9"; Senior
: S

#15 Maddie Williams
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: MB

Players Mentioned

#12 Maggie Dunbar

#5 Kayla Price

#15 Maddie Williams

Players Mentioned

#12 Maggie Dunbar

#5 Kayla Price

#15 Maddie Williams