Women's Volleyball | 08/16/24 | 8:52 AM

HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll College Volleyball team will officially begin their 2024 season on Friday, opening the year with a pair of matches against Doane (Neb.) and Life Pacific (Calif.) at the Big Sky Challenge in Butte, Mont.

The Fighting Saints, with a fresh 0-0 record, will look to bury a forgettable 2023 season in the past and begin their year on a high note in the Mining City this weekend.

Injuries derailed a promising start to the 2023 season, but a healthy, focused, and hungry group has their sights set on once again competing for the Frontier Conference crown in 2024.

The NAIA leader in digs per set (6.86), Julia Carr (Portland, Ore. / GR), returns to the court for the Saints in 2024. The multiple-time All-Conference libero will once again anchor the back line for Carroll, providing four years of experience and leadership. Carr's 686 digs in 2023 were the eighth-most among all NAIA players.

Two impact players will also see their return to the court for the Saints on Friday. Elizabeth Heuiser (Helena, Mont. / R-JR) and Hannah Schweikert (Columbia Falls, Mont. / R-JR) each saw their '23 campaigns taken away with season-ending setbacks early on in the year. Heuiser, an Honorable Mention All-American in the 2022 season, will see her first on-court action in over 644 days, and will look to get back to her game-altering ways in the middle. Schweikert suffered an injury in game No. 3 of the '23 season, but has proven time and time again that she is among the top at her setter position in the league. The pair will look to pick up right where they left off, this time with some new faces around them.

Rachael Stacey (Helena, Mont. / JR) finds herself back in Helena following a successful two years at North Idaho College. The former Montana All-Stater brings collegiate experience with her, and will look to compete for court time right away. Taysa Conger (Merino, Colo. / JR) is another JUCO transfer joining the Saints in 2024. Conger hit .214 at Northeastern JC last season. Kaylen Hay (Pocatello, Idaho / FR) had a great Fall Camp, and will also be in the mix at outside hitter for Carroll this season. 

Lauren Heuiser (Helena, Mont. / SO), Norah Allen (Great Falls, Mont. / SO), McKaila Balcom (Pasco, Wash. / SO), and Jansyn Carrizales (Sunnyside, Wash. / SO) all saw meaningful reps last season as true freshmen, and now with an additional summer of off-season workouts under their belt the group will look to make a big jump in their sophomore campaigns.

Season No. 19 at Carroll for Coach Moe Boyle and her Saints will kick-off with an 11 a.m. tilt against Done (Neb.). Live stats for that game can be found HERE.

Carroll will turn around and play Life Pacific (Calif.) at 4 p.m. to finish Friday play, with live stats available HERE.

Saturday will see the Saints play another two games to cap their first tournament of the year. Dakota State (S.D.) at 9 a.m. (STATS), and Bushnell (Ore.) at 1 p.m. (STATS).

All four games can be streamed on a pay-per-view basis through Montana Tech's Baller TV platform HERE.

Visit www.carrollathletics.com this evening for a full recap of day one action, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.

FOLLOW THE FIGHTING SAINTS
Facebook: @carrollcollegeathletics
Instagram: @cc_saints
X: @CCsaints
#MarchOn