MONTEVALLO, Ala. -- With eleven returners, including seniors Harley Masoner, Brioni Dixon, Michaela Henderson, Desiree Rodriguez, and Hannah Fernandez, along with GSC Preseason All-Conference selection and 2018 GSC All-Conference Second Team selection, Amanda Nugent, as well as 2018 GSC All-Conference Second Team selection Evelina Teran, the University of Montevallo volleyball team is set to build on last season as they head into the opening weekend.

The Falcons are led by Head Coach Katie O'Brien who enters her 12^th season at Montevallo in 2019.

The Falcons will kick off their 2019 season with four matches at the UAH Invitational in Huntsville, Alabama this weekend. Montevallo starts the season with their first two matches on Friday, September 6th.  The Falcons will play Harding University from the Great American Conference in their first match of the season and end the day with a matchup against Trevecca Nazarene University of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.  The UAH Invitational will conclude for the Falcons the next day when they play Lees-Mcrae College of the Conference of Carolinas, followed by the final match of the tournament against Gulf South Conference foe, University of West Georgia.

The Falcons will compete in a total of four invitationals throughout the course of the 2019 season.  Montevallo will also participate in the Lindenwood Invitational and the University of West Alabama tournament in the month of September.  The Falcons will play their final invitational as a part of the GSC/Sunshine State Conference Crossover during the month of October in Hoover, Ala.

Montevallo will begin their third season in the GSC when they open conference play against Auburn-Montgomery on September 24^th.  The Falcons will face eight conference opponents at home and eight on the road this season, while competing for a spot in the GSC postseason tournament.  

Montevallo finished 12-4 overall last season in GSC play and is looking to improve of a semifinal finish in the conference tournament a season ago.

Masoner and Henderson will lead the Falcons as two of five seniors on this season's squad, in terms of experience, having each played in 73 matches throughout their careers at Montevallo. Masoner played in all 31 matches last season, leading the team in assists with 589.  Henderson helped lead the Falcons defensively last season, totaling 245 digs in 17 matches played.

"It's nice to have such a big group," said O'Brien. "There are five of them so they have different strengths in different areas, but when they come together and we add the rest of the team all going towards the same goal, we can achieve some great things."

Dixon, another four year athlete for Montevallo, has seen action in 70 matches throughout her career as a Falcon. Dixon returns to the court this season having aided the falcons on both ends of the floor in 2018 with 90 blocks and 225 kills.

Hannah Fernandez and Desire Rodriguez round out the 2019 senior class for the Falcons. Fernandez and Rodriguez were both junior college transfers into the program a year ago. Fernandez provided a big punch defensively for the falcons, leading the team in blocks with 127. Rodriguez contributed 40 kills in 18 matches a year ago.

"As a senior, the underclassman look to us as leaders and we want to be that role model to them and  also be aware of how we are acting on and off the court," said Fernandez.
Junior Evelina Teran is hoping for a special season for this year's senior class as they close their collegiate careers.

"This senior group is very personal to me because I have known them during my entire time being here at Montevallo," said Teran. "I think this is going to be a really special season for them and for us."

Amanda Nugent, who was named to the GSC Preseason All-Conference team by the league's coaches, returns for her junior campaign after seeing success on the floor as a sophomore. In 2018, Nugent had an outstanding sophomore season, leading the team in kills with 303 and was second on the team in points with 352.  Nugent also had 350 digs and 45 blocks and was named an All-GSC Second Team selection in 2018.

Aside from the return of the aforementioned players, the Falcons also welcome back libero Skylar Sieber, and setters Savannah Roys and Liz Tisch, each who played important time last season for the Falcons. Outside hitters Evelina Teran and Danielle Lee round out this year's group of returners. Teran led the Falcons with 354 points a year ago and also contributed 302 kills. The junior was also named an All-GSC Second Team Selection in 2018.

Joining the Falcons for their first season in the purple and gold will be one transfer and three freshmen.  Emily McCook joins the Falcons after a successful two-year career at the University of Arkansas Pine-Bluff.

"I think the new class brings different types of people to the team because they are all from different places," added Fernandez. "It's great having everyone come together as one and knowing what we are here for, which is just playing this game that we love."

McCook, an outside hitter from Huxley, Alberta Canada, totaled 48 kills and 10 blocks last season. McCook was also named a two time Female Athlete of the Year during her highs school career.

Teran is excited about the diversity in which the incoming class brings to the team this season.

"We have a really diverse group this year, we have a transfer student and a few freshman coming in," said Teran. "We have different positions. During spring, we had a lot of people who were hurtIt's nice to have new people come in and bring new energy, which will hopefully bring up the team and give it a different dynamic."

Three true freshmen will be on this season's roster as outside hitter Macy Lowery, right side hitter Sydney Smith, and middle blocker Morgan Hoffman round out the 2019 roster.
"I think they have done a really nice job coming in to our system, they are catching on and growing every day," said O'Brien. "They are really finding their voice which is important, especially with such an older team, and that is going to make the improvement go even faster."

As Montevallo sets out on its 2019 campaign the future is bright for the experienced Falcons who look to add another winning season to the record books.

Montevallo will begin the season on September 6^th on the road before returning to Trustmark Arena. The Falcons found plenty of success on their home floor a year ago, finishing 9-0 at home on the season.

"I think the team wishes they could play every game at home," said O'Brien. "They just love the crowd and having people see the hard work that they have done all week."

While winning at home is important, O'Brien knows that winning on the road is equally as important.

"The bottom line is we need to win away and at neutral sites as well," O'Brien added.

Prior to the start of the 2019 season, the Falcons were picked to finish second in the GSC Preseason Coaches poll.

"It's nice, but at the same time it doesn't mean anything because the ending is where we want to be," said O'Brien. "Everyone in our conference is shooting for number one and we will see where it lands, but we will keep doing the work no matter what we are picked."

O'Brien believes the key to having success this season is to have continued improvement every day.

"Our bar is set in a nice place, and we don't want just be satisfied at where we are at," said O'Brien. "One of our players said 'All gas no brakes!' So why don't we do that this year?"