PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The 2023 Rutgers volleyball season gets underway this weekend as the Scarlet Knights travel to Charlottesville, Virginia for the Cavalier Classic.
 
Rutgers opens up tournament action on Friday with North Carolina A&T at 4:30 p.m. while host Virginia meets Rider at 7 p.m.. Friday's losing teams will meet up on Saturday at noon, while the winners will close out tournament action at 2:30 p.m.
 

GAME DAY INFO

 

Venue:	Memorial Gymnasium | Charlottesville, Va.
Game Notes:	Rutgers | NC A&T | Virginia | Rider
Statistics:	Rutgers | Rutgers | NC A&T | Virginia | Rider | Big Ten
Video:	vs. UVA only (ACC +)
Live Stats:	vs. NC A&T | vs. Virginia or Rider
Social Media:	Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

        

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Friday, August 25

• Rutgers vs. North Carolina A&T - 4:30 p.m.
• Rider vs. Virginia - 7 p.m.

Saturday, August 26

• Game 1 Loss vs. Game 2 Loss - Noon
• Game 1 Win vs. Game 2 Win - 2:30 p.m.

ABOUT THE SCARLET KNIGHTS

• Rutgers returns nine letterwinners and welcomes six newcomers to the court for the 2023 campaign.
• Eighty-four percent of last year's attack is back including redshirt sophomore Alissa Kinkella who recorded a team-leading 2.76 k/s and sophomore Taylor Humphrey who as a rookie collected 2.54 k/s. Kinkela totaled 301 kills in 2022 marking the ninth-most by a Scarlet Knight in a rally-era season. Humphrey also had another notable record book entry as she tied for most kills in a rally-era three set match with 18 kills against the College of Charleston.
• Also bolstering the offense are returnees sophomores Lexi Visintine and Bekah Williams. Visintine collected a season-high nine kills against No. 9 Minnesota and registered eight in a sweep of Iowa. Williams, meanwhile, averaged 1.79 k/s including a season-high 11 kills in last year's season opener versus Fresno State. Newcomers at outside hitter include freshmen Krista Dooley, a JVA Watch list member, and Anna Hartman, a 18 Premiere All-American.
• Fifth-year senior Alyssa Nayar and junior Chelsea Harvey return at setter with RU adding to the roster. Nayar averaged 3.58 assists per set over 78 sets and notched five double-doubles. RU also adds AVCA All-American Watch List member and freshman Georgia Lee at the position.
• Senior middle Krista Grkovic was second on the squad a year ago with 103 total blocks but led the Scarlet Knights with an average of 1.02 per set. She also was tops at the service line racking up 34 aces. Grkovic cracked the top 10 in rally era career blocks with 92 total to date.
• Returning middle blockers also include sophomore Sasha Stotler and the addition of 2021 Volleyballmag.com Fabulous 50 and Penn State transfer Rikki Williams and All-Cape Coast Conference performer in freshman Zora Hardison.
• Senior Madyson Chitty, who has led Rutgers in digs throughout her career, collected 2.77 per set last season. She enters 2023 sixth in the rally era in career digs with 880.
• The defense is further bolstered by two-time Nebraska state champion and freshman Kenzie Dyrstad.
• On this year's schedule, seven opponents appear on the Preseason AVCA Poll including No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 5 Nebraska, No. 7 Minnesota, No. 8 Penn State, No. 14 Ohio State, No. 16 Purdue and RV Illinois.

SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA A&T

• The Aggies went 9-17 overall and 5-11 in the CAA in 2023 and return 10 members of last year's roster.
• Second Team All-CAA selection, junior outside hitter Naiya Sawtelle, returns having led the squad with 4.17 k/s last year, along with sophomore setter Chiara Napoli who added 4.48 a/s and 38 aces for the offense.
• On defense, NC A&T welcomes back senior defensive specialist Morgan Allen who posted 3.65 d/s and junior middle blocker Maya Johnson who racked up 94 blocks averaging .91 per set.

SCOUTING RIDER

• The Broncs finished the 2022 campaign at 11-20 overall and 7-11 in the MAAC advancing to the MAAC Tournament semifinals.
• Rider will visit Rutgers on Wednesday, September 6 in the Scarlet Knights' home opener.
• The squad welcomes back seven Broncs from last year's team while adding eight freshman.
• Senior outside hitter Tori Schrader returns for the offense having logged a team-second best 2.35 k/s last season with Rider looking to a new setter in 2023.
• Defensively, sophomore Keegan O'Connor and senior Molly Strah are back at libero after posting 2.65 d/s and 2.13 d/s respectively last year along with the team's top stopper at the net in sophomore middle Carley McAleavey with 55 total blocks.

SCOUTING VIRGINIA

• The host Cavaliers wrapped up last fall at 12-17 overall and 4-14 in the ACC and welcome back nine from the 2022 squad.
• Junior middle Abby Tadder is among the top returners having captured 2.12 k/s along with 18 aces and a total of 114 blocks a year ago. Tadder also joined Rutgers' Madyson Chitty, Taylor Humphrey and Rikki Williams at USA Volleyball's National Team Open Program last February.
• Junior setter Ashley Le is also back for the offense after setting up the attack with a team-second best 3.59 a/s.
• Senior libero Madison Morey, who led the team with 2.90 d/s, also returns to the court.

RUTGERS ON THE RISE

• In Caitlin Schweihofer's first season, played in the spring of 2021 due to Covid-19, the Scarlet Knights tripled its conference win total en route to capturing numerous program firsts. Among the team's first were its first-ever All-Big Ten honoree and Big Ten series sweeps. The Scarlet Knights won their first-ever Big Ten home opener, earned victories over Indiana and Michigan State for the first time in history, captured two series sweeps against Maryland and Michigan State, picked up set victories against No. 4 Nebraska and No. 10 Purdue and pushed No. 19 Ohio State to five sets and match point. RU established new team, season and match records for aces and reset program Big Ten game bests in kills, attempts, attack percentage and assists, as well as individual conference superlatives in attack percentage, assists and digs.
• Returning to fall ball for the 2021 season only three and a half months after the conclusion of the Big Ten-only 2020 season, Rutgers continued to make strides going 8-3 for its best nonconference record since 2012. During the season the Scarlet Knights battled eight Top 25 teams during Big Ten play, a conference that sent eight teams to the NCAA Tournament, including the year's national champion. Rutgers captured set wins over No. 8 Purdue and No. 15 Penn State and took Illinois to five sets in front of a national audience on BTN. Inna Balyko wrapped up her career fifth all-time in assists and ninth all-time in block assists, while Kamila Cieslik became the rally era leader in matches played (132) and Beka Kojadinovic concluded her career as the rally era leader in aces.
• Last season, Rutgers incorporated eight newcomers into the mix continuing to make notable strides. The Scarlet Knights opened the year at 3-0 for the first time since 1998 and battled eight Top 25 teams during Big Ten play and eight teams that advanced to the 2022 NCAA Tournament. During the nonconference schedule, four Scarlet Knights were named to All-Tournament squads. Altogether Rutgers had 11 entries among the rally-era season leaders list including Kristina Grkovic in aces, Madyson Chitty in digs, Alyssa Nayar in assists per set, and Taylor Humphrey and Alissa Kinkela in kills per set.

UP NEXT

• Nonconference road action continues as Rutgers travels to the Summit Hospitality Group Open hosted by NC State. While in Raleigh, North Carolina the Scarlet Knight will take on the host Wolfpack on Friday, September 1 at 6 p.m. and meet Howard on Saturday, September 2 at 1 p.m.

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