LAKE CHARLES—McNeese volleyball will report back to campus on Monday, Aug. 8, a sign the season is right around the corner.
 
The Cowgirls return with a new head coach in Sasha Karelov and will return to playing its home matches back in the Legacy Center for the first time since Nov. 9, 2019 in what was then the H&HP Complex.
 
Karelov and the Cowgirls will meet for the first time as a complete team on Aug. 8 for team meeting, compliance meeting, equipment issue, and pictures before starting practice at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 9. The Cowgirls will go through two practices for most of the first week before the start of classes. All practices are open to the public.
 
For Karelov, who enters her first season as a collegiate head coach after spending the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, inherits a team with nine returnees from last season.
 
Since Karelov stepped foot on campus, she has been working diligently to bolster the Cowgirl roster by taking advantage of the portal by adding experience along with signing high school athletes.
 
Returning from last season are All-SLC performers in seniors Macee Krpec and Kendall Glueck along with fellow seniors Lizzy Low, Baylee Laskoskie and Bria Plante, sophomores McKenzie Moore, Kendall Osgood, Mikayla Christiansen, and Bailey Tillman.
 
Of the nine newcomers, seven are transfers. The transfers include graduate Mia Perales (UTSA), seniors Skyeler Embry (UTSA), Dejah Dade (UC-Riverside), juniors Nejra Hanic (Little Rock), Nadia Manitzas (St. Mary's Univ. (TX.),  sophomores Carlee Brooks (Western Carolina), Raina McWhirter (Palm Beach Atlantic Univ.). The freshmen are Meagan Mayfield (Baytown, TX./Barbers Hill High) and Sanni Rantanen (Tampere, Finland/Kuortane Sports High).
 
McNeese has its Blue/Gold scrimmage match scheduled for 1 p.m., Aug. 20 before the regular season opener Aug. 26-27 at the Alabama Crimson Tide Invitational.
 
The Cowgirls will host Texas Southern on Sept. 13 in its home opener. Admission is free for all home matches.
 
 
Week 1 Practice Times (Legacy Center)
Tuesday, Aug. 9: 9-11:30am, 1:00-3:30pm
Wednesday, Aug. 10: 9-12pm, 2-5pm
Thursday, Aug. 11: 2-5pm
Friday, Aug. 12: 9-12pm, 2-5pm
Saturday Aug. 13: OFF
Sunday, Aug. 14: 9-11:30am, 1-3:30pm