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EDMOND, Okla. - The 2024 season for the Oklahoma Christian women's volleyball program gets going in Pittsburg, Kan. for the Gorilla Classic Tournament Sept. 6-7 as a new head coach graces the sidelines for the Eagles.

The first day of the tournament will see OC facing Western Colorado at 2 p.m. followed by tournament-host Pittsburg State at 7 p.m. Oklahoma Christian will then face Southwest Baptist Saturday, Sept. 7 at 11:30 a.m. followed by Arkansas Tech at 4:30 p.m. in the Eagles' final match of opening weekend.

EAGLE OUTLOOK
Head coach Asa Freeman begins his first full year as the head volleyball coach at Oklahoma Christian after serving as interim head coach in 2023. Freeman stepped into the interim role in last season's conference opener against Eastern New Mexico, a match with OC won, 3-0, before finishing out the season with the Eagles.

Oklahoma Christian finished 12th last season behind a 14-15 overall record and a 6-10 stand in conference play, tied for the second most league wins since the program's reinstatement in 2020. Coming into this season from last year's squad is two of the Eagles' three leading attackers in junior outside hitter Annie Davis and junior middle blocker Camryn McGough, along with senior setter Lauren McClure as the captain out on the floor.

Oklahoma Christian enters the year picked 11th in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll. This is the third straight year the Eagles have opened the year picked to finish 11th in the conference preseason poll. For three straight years, OC has finished 12th in the conference standings. Freeman and OC will look to flip the script and break into the Top-10 this time around in one of the perennial NCAA Division II volleyball conferences, which sent four teams to Regionals last year.

2023 was the first season since the program's reinstatement where OC failed to win its season opener when the Eagles fell to then-No. 16 Nebraska-Kearney, 3-1. At last year's season kickoff Westminster Classic, Oklahoma Christian went 2-2 in the four-game classic. Since 2020, the program has never started better than 3-1 through the first four matches.

SCOUTING WESTERN COLORADO
Western Colorado will meet for just the second time ever as Western took the first meeting back in 2021, 3-2. The Eagles hit just .183 in the five-set thriller, including just .144 in the final three sets. Last season, the Mountaineers were 5-21 overall and 2-12 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and were tabbed 13th in the 2024 RMAC Preseason Poll.

SCOUTING PITTSBURG STATE
Tournament-host Pittsburg State is meeting Oklahoma Christian for the first time ever Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. Since 2018, PSU has never finished worse than 3-1 in the annual four-match classic. Last season, the Gorillas finished the year 10-19 overall and 5-15 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and were picked 10th in the 2024 MIAA Preseason Poll.

SCOUTING SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
The first match for Oklahoma Christian Saturday, Sept. 7 will be just the second ever meeting with Southwest Baptist when the two face off at 11:30 a.m. In the first ever meeting back in 2022, SBU edged out OC, 3-2. Current-Eagles Sophie Mae Smith, Megan Rek and Kathryn Christie each saw action on that late August day as Smith led the trio on the floor with six assists, six digs and one ace. The Bearcats come into this season off a 14-15 2023 campaign, including a 3-10 stand in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

SCOUTING ARKANSAS TECH
Saturday, Sept. 7 at 4:30 p.m. will mark the third consecutive year Oklahoma Christian has faced Arkansas Tech, with the Eagles taking the previous two matches both in the form of a sweep. In 2023, OC as a team hit .430, including an impressive .581 in the first set, to run away with the 3-0 shutout. Junior outside hitter Katy Geurin led the offensive attack with 12 kills while junior middle blocker Camryn McGough and then-true freshman Sara Freeman led the defense with four blocks and 11 digs, respectively.

HOW TO WATCH
The MIAA Network and HUDL TV have partnered to offer viewership to fans for purchase. Payment options include a one-time $15 charge, providing access to a single broadcast streamed on the MIAA Network, or a $30 monthly subscription, which will provide fans access to all MIAA content, including this weekend's four matches and next weekend's four matches, for 30 days and is a monthly, recurring subscription. A monthly subscription will give you access to next weekend's four matches in Kearney, Neb., as well with those matches being carried by the MIAA Network. Fans can purchase either a single-match pass or subscription HERE.