EVANSVILLE, Ind.- University of Southern Indiana 2024 Volleyball season debuts this Friday and Saturday at the CEFCU Invitational at Bradley University at Renaissance Coliseum in Peoria, Illinois. The Screaming Eagles will take on a trio of opponents starting with the University of St. Thomas and Depaul University on Friday, August 30 at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Eagles return to the Renaissance Coliseum on Saturday to match up with Bradley University at 4:30 p.m. in a re-match of last years thrilling game.

Game Coverage/Tickets
All three matches will not be broadcasted on ESPN+. However, you can follow along with live stats and in-game updates at USIScreamingEagles.com or follow @USIAthletics on X, Facebook, or Instagram. Online tickets are available at bradleybraves.com for purchase or at the door at five-dollar general admission.
 
Screaming Eagles Headlines
Returning Key Eagles. 12 Eagles from the 2023 season return to the squad. The USI returners accounted for 44% of the team's kills, 97% of assists, 46% of blocks, and 65% of digs. Junior Keira Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) led the team in digs with 498. Senior Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) led the team in blocks with 131. Senior Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana) led the squad with a monstrous 1153 assists.
 
2024 Transfer Additions. Aucoin hit the transfer portal to reel in two massive additions to the Screaming Eagles offense in OH, sophomore Ashby Willis (Mount Carmel, Illinois) and RS, Jasmine Green (Rockwall, Texas). Willis comes from Purdue University Fort Wayne where she earned All-Freshman Horizon League with 277 kills. Green joins the Eagles as a graduate student from Bradley University where she had a career high last season in kills, blocks, aces, digs, and assists.
 
Eagles 2024 Freshman Additions. The Eagles reload with two freshmen in L/DS Kerigan Fehr (Fairbury, Illinois) and L/DS Layla Gonzales (Muncie, Indiana). Fehr joins the program from Fairbury, Illinois where she earned the career school record in digs, kills, and aces. Gonzales also holds an immense amount of potential coming from Muncie, Indiana where she was all-state in 2023, helping her squad win the state championship.
 
Coaching Staff Addition. Julianna Cramer joins the coaching staff as an assistant under Aucoin. Cramer spent a year with Ball State University as the Director of Volleyball Operations. Before she got into coaching, Cramer played for Arkansas State University and Ball State tallying 1,290 career assists and 25 double-doubles.
 
Early Non-Conference Tests.  USI challenges themselves with a rugged non-conference slate playing teams from the Big Ten, Big East, SEC, American, Missouri Valley, Mid-American, and the Summit. The slate includes three power five programs in Ohio State University, Florida University, and Indiana University. Coach Aucoin is excited for the challenge saying "We're excited to take the next step as a program and I believe the opportunities our Fall schedule presents us will help us get there. There will be many challenges throughout our non-conference schedule that will allow us to be battle tested come OVC conference play."
 
OVC Preseason Poll. The Eagles were predicted to finish sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference in the 2024 preseason poll, which was voted by OVC head coaches' and their respective communicator. The league has the potential to be even from top to bottom after six different teams received first-place votes in the poll. Southeast Missouri State University, Eastern Illinois University, and Morehead State University made up the top three teams in the poll all separated by four total points.
 
Anderson Tabbed with OVC Player to Watch. Junior middle hitter Bianca Anderson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) is primed to take another step into a bigger role in production and leadership. In 2023, she nearly doubled her production collecting 244 kills, 63 blocks, along with leading the team in hitting percentage at .259. She nabbed a career-high 25 kills and 27 points against Western Illinois.
 
About St. Thomas. The opener marks the first meeting between the Eagles and the Tommies. St. Thomas returns a starting lineup primarily of sophomores and juniors. They played two common opponents in 2023 with the Eagles, losing to Lindenwood University and beating University of Evansville. The Tommies earned a 7-20 record in 2023. 

About Depaul. The match will mark the first meeting between the two squads. Depaul returns 11 players from the 2023 season including two All-Big East selections. They played one common opponent to USI in 2023, beating University of Evansville, 3-0. The Blue Demons went 18-15 overall and 9-9 in conference play last season making it to the semifinal in the conference tournament. 
 
About Bradley. USI and Bradley matched up for the first time ever at Screaming Eagles arena last season in a five-set thriller that resulted in a Braves win on the final point. The Braves reload with an abundance of new talent following a disappointing 2-16 Missouri Valley Conference record. The Braves lost nine players from the 2023 roster including Eagles graduate transfer Jasmine Green, who returns to a familiar place this weekend competing on the other side.

More Information. For more information about USI Volleyball and Athletics, go to USIScreamingEagles.com or follow USI Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.