Volleyball Opens Season at UCF Classic

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida volleyball team opens up the 2009 season on Friday, Aug. 28, when it faces Florida Atlantic in the 11 a.m. contest on the first day of the UCF Fall Classic at The Venue in Orlando, Fla.

The Ospreys will also face the host team, Central Florida, on the opening day at 6 p.m. On Saturday, UNF will face DePaul in a 9 a.m. contest followed by a 3:30 p.m. match against Bethune Cookman.

UNF head coach Kevin Campbell enters her third season at the helm of the program. Campbell saw a 27 percent win increase overall and a 36 percent increase in Atlantic Sun contests between her first and second seasons.

“The team has been working hard in the gym during the preseason,” Campbell said. “The girls are excited to get started and we are ready to test our skills against someone other than ourselves.”

The Ospreys return five starters from last season's 13-19 (9-11 A-Sun) team. Junior middle blocker Kaley Read returns for UNF after picking up All-Atlantic Sun Conference second team honors last season. In addition, Read was named to the 2009 All-Atlantic Sun preseason team. She averaged a team-high 3.5 kills per set as well as a team-best 2.79 digs per set. Senior outside hitter Agata Dawidowicz also returns for the Ospreys after averaging 2.32 kills per set to rank second on the team. Dawidowicz led the A-Sun in aces with 76 on the season.

Joining the eight returnees are seven newcomers, including two junior college transfers, outside hitter Nallelis Sanfeliz and setter Jessica Catelano.

UNF just completed the final year of the four-year reclassification period to a full-fledged member of Division I athletics. The Ospreys began their transition from Division II athletics to Division I at the start of the 2005-06 season and beginning this year will be eligible for all postseason play on the NCAA Division I level.

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