MIAMI, Fla. – The FIU volleyball team prepares to open its 2022 season this weekend at the Oklahoma Invitational with a slate of competitive matchups against Iowa (Aug. 26), Gonzaga (Aug. 27) and host Oklahoma (Aug. 28).
 
2022 Oklahoma Invitational – Norman, Okla. | McCassland Field House
Friday, Aug. 26 vs. Iowa

• Time: 6 p.m. ET
• Live Stats
• Series History: Iowa leads 0-2

Saturday, Aug. 27 vs. Gonzaga

• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• Live Stats
• Series History: Gonzaga leads 1-0

Sunday, Aug. 28 vs. Oklahoma

• Time: 2 p.m. ET
• Streaming Video: ESPN+
• Live Stats
• Series History: First meeting all-time

 
FIU enters the 2022 campaign with a plethora of new faces under head coach Cristina Robertson in her first season at the helm of the program, as the Panthers are comprised of 13 newcomers, including three freshmen, and five returners from last year's squad. The Panthers will open the season Friday evening against the Big Ten's Iowa, who went 6-24 and 4-16 in league play for the 2021 season.
 
Seniors Jade Sadeiko and Camila De La Rosa highlight the returning core to this year's Panthers squad, as Sadeiko tallied 47 blocks and 51 kills through 11 starts in 2021, followed by De La Rosa pacing FIU with a team-leading 454 assists through 15 starts at setter. Junior setter Autumn Raulerson also returns as another solid piece to the Panther mix after contributing 133 assists and 32 digs last season.
 
The Panthers welcomed 13 newcomers to the program, while bringing in a great deal of experience and talent with eight transfers and three freshmen in Madisen Miller, Madison Morgan and Sierra Moore.
 
Among the newcomers, middle blockers Alyssa Wissinger (140 blocks, 209 kills in '21) and Beste Ayhan (UMBC single season record 140 blocks in '21) join the Panthers after helping lead Boise State and UMBC to pair of league titles in 2021, respectively. Outside hitters Mackenzie Morgan, Athina Dimitriadis, Yasso Amin and Kira Givans will add a plethora of experience and depth to the Panther attack, while liberos Katie Turner and Paige Thibault and setters Sarah Nading and Maylen Mitrovich also bring experience and depth to the 2022 squad.  
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FIU finished third in the Conference USA East division with a 6-6 league mark and 9-13 overall record in 2021. The Panthers were picked to finish seventh in the 2022 Conference USA Preseason Poll announced on Thursday afternoon, as Western Kentucky was selected to be the league favorite with nine first-place votes, followed by Rice in second with two first-place votes.
 
C-USA 2022 Preseason Poll
1. WKU (9)
2. Rice (2)
3. UTEP
4. Charlotte
5. North Texas
6. UAB
7. FIU
8. Middle Tennessee
9. UTSA
10. Florida Atlantic
11. Louisiana Tech
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.