Sooners Serve Up Season Opener at NIKE Invite

NIKE Invitational
Aug. 25-26 | Norman, Okla. | McCasland Field House

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SoonerSports.tv (Fri.)

FSOK/FCS-Central (Sat.)

Listen (Sat.)

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Oklahoma Sooners
Record: 0-0 Coach: Santiago Restrepo Career Record/Years: 361-239/19 Rank: NR

On the Air
Radio (Sat.)	KREF 1400 AM TuneIn Radio App Chris Plank Jen Robinson
TV (Sat.)	FSOK FCSC (12:30 only) Chad McKee Laura Alford
Stream	SoonerSports.tv (Fri.) FOXSportsGo (Sat.)

Player to Watch
Rachel Manriquez, RJr. At last year's NIKE Invitational, Manriquez was one of two Sooners to make the All-Tournament Team. She totaled 42 digs in three matches, including 20 in the opener against UTSA.

Home Openers Since '04
2016	Oral Roberts	W, 3-0
2015	Little Rock	W, 3-0
2014	CSUN	W, 3-2
2013	Arkansas	W, 3-0
2012	Missouri State	W, 3-1
2011	SMU	W, 3-0
2010	Wichita State	L, 0-3
2009	Missouri	W, 3-1
2008	Michigan State	W, 3-1
2007	Denver	W, 3-0
2006	Arkansas	L, 2-3
2005	Texas-Arlington	W, 3-0
2004	Oral Roberts	W, 3-0

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FIRST SERVE

The University of Oklahoma volleyball team opens the 2017 season at its own NIKE Invitational beginning Friday, August 25 against Seton Hall at 7 p.m. A total of six matches will be played at McCasland Field House, including the Sooners Saturday contests against Northwestern State at 12:30 p.m. and against former Big 12 rival Colorado at 7 p.m. All three matches will be broadcast by Sooner Sports TV with Friday's opener streamed exclusively on SoonerSports.tv. Veteran OU broadcaster Chad McKee (play-by-play) and Laura Alford (color commentary) will call Saturday's matches on FOX Sports Oklahoma. Additionally, Chris Plank (pbp) and Jen Robinson (color) will call both Saturday matches locally on Sportstalk 1400 AM/99.3 FM.

ABOUT THE SOONERS

Oklahoma opens its season at home for the second year in a row. The Sooners, who won all nine sets played to open 2016 at the Oklahoma Invitational, completed last season with an overall record of 14-15 with a 5-11 mark in the Big 12. OU enters the season with just one senior on its roster in defensive specialist Emma Kelly. She has appeared in 69 matches in her career and is coming off a career-best 1.51 digs per set a year ago. Juniors Audrey Alford, Madison Drescher and redshirt-junior Rachel Manriquez will serve as captains on this year's team. Alford held down the setter job for the Sooners last season and was second in the Big 12 with an 11.29 assists per set average. The 6-foot-2 Drescher averaged 1.79 kills per set, hit .199 as an outside hitter and was voted to the 2017 Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Manriquez spent all of 2016 in the starting libero role and was ninth in the Big 12 with 3.27 digs per set.

SEASON OPENERS

OU is 21-22 all-time in season openers following a sweep of Oral Roberts (8/26/16) at last season's Oklahoma Invitational. The Sooners are 10-3 in season-opening matches since the arrival of Santiago Restrepo in 2004. Oklahoma opens at home in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2011 and 2012.

ALL-TIME VS. COLORADO

Oklahoma and Colorado met on the floor for a home-and-home series every year from 1986 to 2010. As Big 12 foes, the Buffaloes held a 35-19 advantage over the Sooners, which was expanded to 36-19 in a non-conference match-up on opening weekend two years ago. Oklahoma won the first seven matches in the rivalry. Colorado countered with win streaks of 13 and 14 until OU brought in Santiago Restrepo to take over its program as it trailed the all-time series, 9-31. After Restrepo stepped in for the 2004 season, the Sooners went 10-4 against the Buffs in Big 12 play, including a win in his first match against Colorado and four season sweeps.

ONE-TIME MATCH-UPS

Oklahoma has faced Northwestern State and Seton Hall once each. The Sooners took on the Lady Demons on the road in 1975; a 2-0 loss. OU and SHU took the floor exactly 10 years ago on August 25, 2007 in Norman. In the final year of the 30-point, rally-scoring era, the Sooners won in straight sets by scores of 30-17, 30-22 and 30-20. Anna Stadel hit .611 and knocked down a match-high 12 kills to lead the OU attack, which hit a collective .360 for the match. Julie Chester collected 42 assists and Mariana Blum picked up 18 digs,

MILLER TRANSFERS TO OU

Oklahoma added junior setter/outside hitter Morgan Miller to its roster after she transferred from Louisville. Miller totaled 100 sets as a sophomore in 2016 and averaged 1.97 kills, 1.67 assists, 0.93 digs and 0.52 blocks per set. The 6-foot lefty can run the Sooner offense, while also swinging from the right side.