TOPEKA, Kan. --- The Washburn Ichabod volleyball team opens the 2017 season when they host the Washburn Invitational presented by the Capitol Plaza Hotel & Convention Center Sept. 1-2 at Lee Arena. Washburn opens day one play against Arkansas Tech (1 p.m.) and East Central (7 p.m.). On day two, it will face Western State Colorado (11 a.m.) before wrapping up the season opening weekend with Missouri-St. Louis (5:30 p.m.).
WASHBURN INVITATIONAL
• The Ichabods host for the third consecutive season.
• Also participating in this year's edition of the invitational will be Emporia State, Pittsburg State and Drury.
• Emporia State have appeared in each of the last nine editions of the invitational dating back to 2006 season and are 24-12 during that time ... Pittsburg State (1-11) makes it fourth appearance while Drury (5-3) and East Central (1-7) are each making its third ... Arkansas Tech and Western State Colorado are invitational newbies.
• The 2017 season marks the 10th year Capitol Plaza Hotel and Convention Center has presented Washburn Invitational. The partnership began in 2006 and ran consecutively through the 2012 season. The invitational returned in 2015 after Ichabods opted to start their season on the road.
• Since 2006, Washburn is 36-0.
WELCOME BACK
• Washburn returns eight members from last season's team that went 28-6 and played in the final match of the MIAA tournament.
• Among the returners are seniors Carley Swan and Taylor Selk ... Swan looks to regain that form she was in as junior before succumbing to injury ... Selk finished 2016 with 180 kills her fourth-best last season.
• Also returning is junior Makayla Maxwell ... the middle hitter is the lone returner to garner All-MIAA accolades last season as she was an honorable mention ... Maxwell finished second on the team in hitting percentage (.304) and total blocks (88).
• Shayla Conner is also back for her junior year ... the setter appeared in 86 sets across 32 matches and finished last season with 271 assists, 3.15 assists per set and 161 digs while sharing time with Natalie Bates.
• Also returning are sophomores Jaime Weible, Erica Montgomery and Balie Stamps and junior Jade Hodge.
FRESH FACES
• Washburn volleyball weclomes nine newcomers to the team this season, plus Mariah Grunert who will be a redshirt freshman in 2017 ... the newcomers include seven true freshmen and two transfers, one from the two-year college ranks (Olivia Powell) and the other from a NCAA Division I program (Aubrey Wilson).
THEY GOT SOME HISTORY
• Washburn is 7-2 all-time against Arkansas Tech ... the first meeting was on Oct. 14, 2000 (WU loss, 3-1) ... last meeting was Sept. 18, 2015 (WU win, 3-0).
• The Ichabods are 4-0 against East Central ... their first meeting was Oct. 3, 2008 (WU win, 3-0) ... the last meeting was Sept. 16, 2016 (WU win, 3-0).
• Washburn and UMSL are meeting for the first time since Sept. 6, 2008 (WU win, 3-1) ... the Tritons lead the all-time series 9-4 ... the teams' first meeting came during the 1989 campaign (WU loss, 3-1).
• Sept. 2 will be the first-ever match between Washburn and Western State Colorado.
THE PECKING ORDER
• The Ichabods begin the season ranked No. 16 in the AVCA Coaches' Preseason Poll for the second consecutive season after finishing last season at No. 13 with a 28-6 mark. The ranking extends Washburn's top 25 streak to 175 consecutive polls dating back to the final ranking of 2003 and 192 all-time mentions.
MIAA PRESEASON POLL
• The Ichabods were predicted to finish third in the MIAA after earning 101 points and one first-place vote. Last season's champion Nebraska-Kearney topped the poll with 120 points and 10 first-place votes, while Central Oklahoma came in second with 105 points and also garnered one first-place nod.
• WU finished the 2016 season with a 16-2 conference record and run to the conference tournament finals.
RECORD WATCHLIST
• Shayla Conner is 201 assists shy of breaking into the top 20 of Washburn's all-time assists list ... Conner currently has at 388 career assists ... she has averaged 194 assists in her last two seasons.
• Makayla Maxwell has 112 career blocks making her 153 short of No. 20 on the Ichabod all-time block list.
• Carley Swan currently sits at 20th on the Washburn's block per set chart (0.73) ... Robin Rusink and Marissa Cox are tied for 18th with 0.74.
STRONG START
• Washburn is 34-14 in season openers all-time and 22-5 since joining the NCAA and MIAA in 1989.
• Under Chris Herron, the Ichabods have a history of starting the season hot in the first month of play, as it has gone 39-6 over the last three seasons.
• All-time under Herron, Washburn is 224-29 in the first month the season.
• Since Herron's arrival, the Ichabods have not lost more than four matches in the first month of the season.
TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE
• The Ichabods have made a habit out of appearing in the NCAA tournament, reaching the milestone 13 times in the past 15 seasons under head coach Chris Herron.
• Washburn has won five MIAA Championships under Herron and were runners-ups in 2016.
• In the last five seasons, Washburn volleyball has had 12 All-Americans, including three in 2016.
