The Shocker volleyball team is hard at work preparing for their season opener Aug. 30, against North Dakota State at the La Quinta Inn & Suites Invitational in Orem, Utah. They will also play Arizona State and Utah Valley at the invitational.

The women will play their first home game on Thursday Sept. 19, against South Dakota in the Shocker Volleyball Classic.

The Shockers made their first Sweet Sixteen appearance in school history last year, finishing the season with a 24-10 record after losing to No. 4 ranked USC in the regional semifinals.

Five starters from last year’s team will be returning to the court this season and although there are a lot of freshmen and sophomores on the team head coach Chris Lamb doesn’t see it as a young one.

“There’s a typical blend of young and old,” said Lamb.

Lamb said that he is more concerned about where his players are at developmentally than their age or how long they’ve been with the team.

According to Lamb there wasn’t a lot of mystery about who would be handling passing last year, but that it is one of the things that the team has been working on since beginning practice August 8th.

The team also saw a change in the coaching staff this year with the addition of assistant coach Matt Hoffman.

Lamb said Hoffman has been fitting in very well with the team and that he is excited to have him.

“I think there’s a lot of common understanding,” said Lamb.

In a preseason poll by the American Volleyball Coaches Association released Aug. 12, the Shockers were ranked 24th in the nation.

The ladies will play Hawaii (11th), Louisville (19th), and Creighton (25th) during the regular season, three of the other top 25 teams from the poll.