CANYON, Texas (August 23, 2018) – The Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaparrals volleyball team opens their 40^th season in program history and 15^th under head coach Jennifer Lawrence Friday at the Britkare Lady Buffs Classic, hosted by West Texas A&M University. The Lady Chaps opening day of action comes against unfamiliar foes, as they face No.10 Rockhurst University (11 a.m.) and Emporia State University (3:30 p.m.) for the first time in program history.
 
No.10 ROCKHURST | Friday, Aug. 24 | 11 a.m. | 
•       This meeting will mark LCU's first ever meeting against Kansas City, Mo. based Rockhurst. LCU is 11-9 all-time against Missouri based programs, with their last meeting against a Show Me State opponent coming in 2015 (3-0 loss to Drury on Sept. 11, 2015).
•       Rockhurst is a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), where they are preseason picked second in the conference. Last season, Rockhurst went 32-8, which included a 14-4 conference mark. They lost to Concordia-St. Paul in the NCAA Division II Championship semifinals after winning the Midwest Region tournament.
•       The Hawks open the season ranked No.10 nationally. LCU went 0-2 last season against ranked programs, including a 3-0 loss to No.6 Nebraska-Kearney (Sept. 16, 2017) marking their prior contest against a top-10 program. 
•       Five starting members from last season's Hawks squad return this season, including Mary Rolf, Karli Reichert and Alyssa Woodman, who each claimed All-GLVC honors.
•       LCU will see a familiar face on the Hawks roster, as RU newcomer Morgan Conner transfers in from Arkansas-Fort Smith, where she played 33 matches last season. 
 
EMPORIA STATE | Friday, Aug. 24 | 3:30 p.m. | 
•       The Lady Chaps and Emporia State have never met. LCU is 21-6 all-time against Kansas based programs and 14-1 outside of facing Newman (among Kansas based programs).
•       The Hornets are preseason picked eighth in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAA).
•       Emporia State completed the 2017 season with a 15-16 overall record, going 7-11 in the MIAA. The Hornets have four new faces joining 13 returners from last season. 
•       Like LCU, whose first six matches of the season are away from home, ESU opens the season with life on the road. The Hornets play their first 12 matches away from home and do not have a home match until Sept. 14. 
 
GAME NOTES
•       LCU is 27-12 all-time in season openers and 11-3 in season openers under the direction of Lawrence. LCU has won nine of their 10 prior season openers. The Lady Chaps are 11-6 at the Lady Buff Classic since appearances in 2009.
•       The Lady Chaps are coming off an 10-17 season record from 2017. LCU struggled with a 1-5 record in neutral site matches last season. 
•       LCU is preseason picked third in the Heartland Conference preseason poll.
•       A pair of Lady Chaps received preseason all-conference honors (Kelsie French and Lauren Zoller). LCU returns six (of seven) players that started in last season's final match (lost Channing Castleberry).
•       Friday's matches will feature seven new additions seeking their first action as a member of the Lady Chaps. The new members are Bradi Marshall, Bailey Pearce, Morgan Schwarz, Jalee Sims, Klaire Torrez, Ashley Vanfleet and Faith Warren.
•       French claimed Heartland Conference Co-Libero of the Year and All-Conference Team accolades last season after posting 645 digs, which marked the ninth highest single-season total in program history and moved her into fourth on LCU's career digs list with 1,971. Her career mark closed her junior season ranking as the third highest active mark among non-seniors in Division II (second highest overall active leader in digs per set at 6.2). The three-time All-Conference and two-time Preseason All-Conference selection ranked second in the conference and eighth nationally in digs per set (6.26) and her 645 digs ranked second in the conference and 24^th nationally.