Razorbacks open volleyball season at home Friday against Kansas

FAYETTEVILLE — After three weeks of preseason practices, scrimmages and an exhibition, Arkansas hits the floor Friday evening for its season opener against Kansas.

First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Barnhill Arena. The match is the first of two against Kansas this weekend coupled with Sunday’s road contest in Lawrence.

Individual match tickets are $5 while UA students—with valid ID—and fans 17 years and younger receive free admission at home matches.

Prior to the match, fans are invited to the Back to School Bash located between the Bev Lewis Center and the south entrance at Barnhill Arena.

Taking on the Jayhawks

The Razorbacks have played Kansas 11 times prior to this weekend’s matches. The teams split the first eight matches in the series but KU has won the last three.

There has only been one sweep in the all-time series with three of the last five meetings extending to five sets. Kansas is one of six opponents that appear in the AVCA preseason national poll; the Jayhawks are receiving votes to begin the year.

Season Openers

Arkansas has won 16 of 24 season openers in its program history including six of the last eight. The Razorbacks have also won their last four season openers played at Barnhill Arena with a 13-3 mark in those contests overall.

Oh Captain, My Captain

By way of a team vote, junior Rachel Rippee and sophomore Elizabeth Pamphile will serve as the Razorbacks’ captains. Rippee finished second in the SEC last season with 11.23 assists per set while Pamphile averaged 2.02 kills per set.

Silver Anniversary

The 2018 seasons marks the 25th anniversary of Arkansas Volleyball which first took the floor in 1994. As a program, the Razorbacks enter the year with 466 wins and 11 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Fresh(man) Faces

Arkansas welcomes six newcomers-five freshmen and one junior-to this year’s roster. The team’s incoming class was named a Highest Honorable Mention group, just outside the top 30 by PrepVolleyball.com.

Sideline Additions

Justin Martin joined the program as volunteer assistant in July after six seasons at Ashland University that featured three Division II NCAA Tournament appearances. During the spring, Whitney Roth was named director of operations.