After a loss to 2022 NCAA Final Four participant, the University of Pacific volleyball team rattled off five-straight wins including first and second round wins at the National Invitational Volleyball Championship before a loss in the quarterfinals has a high level of excitement surrounding Tigers volleyball in 2023.
The five-match winning streak was its second of the season and the Tigers will return first team all-WCC selection
Biamba Kabengele and honorable mention selection
Alexa Edwards from a 2022 team that posted the most wins (18) since 2014.
Veteran head coach
Greg Gibbons, who enters his 14th season at the helm, has compiled 204 wins, ranking third most in program history.
The Tigers schedule features multiple contests against Power 5 opponents including its first two contests to open the 2023 season at the Cactus Classic hosted by the University of Arizona. The season will start on Friday where they will face North Carolina at 11 a.m. (PT)/noon (MT) and wrap up the opening weekend with a matchup against host Arizona on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. (PT)/1:30 p.m. (PT).
The Tigers return to the mix 11 letterwinners in 2023 featuring seniors
Alexa Edwards,
Darina Kumanova and
Ramonni Cook and fifth-year
Biamba Kabengele. Kabengele, a West Coast Conference All-Conference First-Team selection, helped propel the Tigers offensively throughout league play a season ago, recording a team-high 220 kills in 15 conference matches. Edwards ranked among the league's best offensive players, leading the team and ranking second in the conference in total kills with a career-best 431. Kumanova and Cook combined for 400 kills while ranking third and fourth on the team. Kumanova also led the team with 56 service aces and ranked first in the conference with 0.46 service aces per set.
With 11 returning letterwinners, the recruiting efforts brought in five new faces to the Pacific roster – four of which who are entering their first season of collegiate volleyball and a junior college transfer.
Friday's season opener against the University of North Carolina will be against a Tar Heel squad that was picked to finish sixth in the ACC. Carolina is led by Mabrey Shaffmaster, who was named to the preseason all-ACC team. The Tar Heels have a new head coach as Mike Schall takes the reign after being an assistant coach for the last five years. Schall takes over after the retirement of long-time head coach Joe Sagula, who stepped aside after 33 years of service. Sagula is the winningest volleyball coach in ACC history, where he won seven conference titles and made 15 NCAA Tournament appearances.
Saturday's match against Arizona will wrap up the first weekend of play for Wildcats' head coach Charita Stubbs, who is in her first season as the head coach. In 2022, Arizona posted a 16-15 overall record and a 6-14 mark in the Pac 12 en route to a 10th-place finish. The Wildcats return nine letterwinners and four starters in 2023. The 19-person roster for Arizona features seven freshmen to go along with transfers from UConn and USC.
Follow the Tigers vs. North Carolina
Follow the Tigers at Arizona
