Trojans Begin 2016 Season at SMU DoubleTree Classic

M1: Little Rock vs. UTSA
Date	Friday, August 26
Time	10 a.m.
Location	Dallas, Texas
Arena	Moody Coliseum
Stats	SIDEARM Stats
Notes	Little Rock | UTSA

LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock volleyball will get the 2016 season underway on Friday as the team competes in the SMU DoubleTree Classic against UTSA, Montana and host SMU at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas. The Trojans will get the year started by playing UTSA at 10 a.m., and Montana at 4:30 p.m., on Friday before wrapping up the tournament against SMU on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

FIRST SERVE

• Little Rock will have a roster of 13 for the 2016 season,

  M2: Little Rock vs. Montana
  Date	Friday, August 26
  Time	4:30 p.m.
  Location	Dallas, Texas
  Arena	Moody Coliseum
  Stats	SIDEARM Stats
  Notes	Little Rock | Montana

  the largest in program history.
• The Trojans bring in five newcomers, including three transfers and two freshmen.
• 94 percent of kills and 92 percent of blocks from 2015 are coming from returning players.
• The Trojans will be looking for their first win against all three schools in the opening weekend of action.
• Little Rock was picked fourth in the West Division in the Sun Belt preseason poll.
• Edina Selimovic earned a spot on the All-Sun Belt

  M3: Little Rock at SMU
  Date	Saturday, August 27
  Time	2:30 p.m.
  Location	Dallas, Texas
  Arena	Moody Coliseum
  Stats	SIDEARM Stats
  Video	SMU PonyUp TV
  Notes	Little Rock | SMU

  Preseason team for the second consecutive year.
• Little Rock ranked 34th in the nation and led the Sun Belt in blocks per set (2.56) in 2015.
• The Trojans' opponent hitting percentage (.171) ranked 33rd in the country and second in the Sun Belt last season.
• Selimovic and Carolee Dillard have the third-most total blocks (559) of any duo in Division I over the past two years.
• The Trojans return two of the best servers in the Sun Belt in Selimovic and Sydnee Martin.
• The Trojans were awarded the AVCA Team Academic Award for the seventh year in a row.
• Coach Van Compton begins her 29th season at the helm of the program.

The Trojans will begin the 2016 season with a roster of 13, the largest in program history. The team brought in three transfers and two freshmen to compliment the eight returners from last year's team. The Trojans finished fifth in the regular season and were knocked out in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament a season ago.
 
Little Rock was picked fourth in the West Division in this year's Sun Belt Preseason Poll while Edina Selimovic was named to the All-Sun Belt Preseason Team for the second consecutive year. Selimovic ended 2015 with AVCA Southwest All-Region honors and a spot on the Sun Belt's First Team.
 
Carolee Dillard will look to finish her four-year career at Little Rock on a strong note as she sits not too far away from the school's all-time record for blocks. Combined, Dillard and Selimovic have the third-most blocks (559) of any duo in Division I over the past two seasons.
 
The Trojans' first opponent, UTSA, finished 24-9 last year and were one win shy of making the NCAA Tournament. They'll bring back top hitter Dajana Boskovic who tallied 4.53 kills per set last year.
 
Montana finished 8-20 a season ago and brings back a very young roster. Seven of the Grizzlies' 13 players are freshmen.
 
Perhaps the toughest draw on Little Rock's tournament schedule will be host SMU. The Mustangs finished 27-6 last season and made it to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. SMU returns two AVCA All-American Honorable Mentions in hitter Janelle Giordano and libero Morgan Heise.