DENTON, Texas (September 2, 2016) – The Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaparrals volleyball team opens their 38^th season in program history and 13^th under head coach Jennifer Lawrence Friday at the Hilton Garden Inn Classic, hosted by Texas Woman's University. They begin the day facing Harding University at 11 a.m. and following their opening day of action facing Texas A&M University at 4 p.m.     

HARDING | Friday, Sept. 2 | 11 a.m.
Live Stats |

• This meeting will mark LCU's first meeting against Harding since Sept. 22, 2001. The Lady Bisons have a 3-1 advantage over LCU in the all-time series, which dates back to Sept. 3, 1988. LCU's lone win came on Oct. 10, 1997. 
• Harding is a member of the Great American Conference, where they are preseason picked fifth in the conference.
• There will be a gathering of AHS products when the two teams meet. LCU's Mallory Powell is an Aledo alum and former AHS teammates Sara Smith and Emily Clayton are members of Harding. Channing Castleberry of LCU is a product of Amarillo High School and reunites with former high school teammate Zoe Hardin of Harding. 
• Speaking of Hardin, she comes in following First-Team All-GAC honors as a freshman (also All-Region by D2CCA) after leading the conference in blocks per set and ranking third in attack percentage.
• Harding went 15-16 last season, going 3-7 in neutral site play. 

TEXAS A&M COMMERCE | Friday, Sept. 2 | 4 p.m.
Live Stats |

• Texas A&M Commerce is 3-0 all-time against LCU. A&M Commerce last defeated LCU 3-0 in Lubbock on Sept. 13, 2013. Prior to that meeting, LCU and the Lions had not met since the 1980 season.
• The Lions are preseason picked eighth in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll.
• A&M Commerce has a link to Lubbock on their roster, as they have Karli Thornton, who was a homeschool product competing with the Lubbock Titans. 
• The Lions are coming off of a 15-14 season in 2015 with a 7-9 mark in conference play, which was good for a tie for fifth place in the LSC standings. 

GAME NOTES

• LCU is 25-12 all-time in season openers and 9-3 in season openers under the direction of Lawrence. LCU has won seven of their eight prior season openers. 
• The Lady Chaps are coming off an 18-10 season record from 2015. LCU went 4-4 in neutral site games last season. 
• LCU is preseason picked second in the Heartland Conference preseason poll. They joined Arkansas – Fort Smith as the only teams receiving first place vote(s). 
• The Lady Chaps return two All-Conference selections with Mallory Powell and Kelsie French, who was the Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. She also claimed All-Region honors.
• Friday's matches will feature seven new additions seeking their first action as a member of the Lady Chaps. The new members are Camille Porco, Karley David, McKaley Johnson, Lupita Quintanilla, Leah Roberson, Hannah Thomas and Lauren Zoller.
• Christiana Tavo is the only classified senior member on the Lady Chaps roster (based on athletic eligibility). Tavo had 230 kills and 68 blocks last season.