Miami, Fla. -  The FIU women's volleyball team kicks off the 2023 campaign on Friday, Aug. 25 as they compete in the "Canes Classic" hosted by the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. The Panthers will play the University of Maryland and Lamar University on the first day and will wrap up the tournament the following day against Miami.

Friday, Aug. 25 vs Maryland (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)

• Time/Site: 11 a.m. ET/ Knight Sports Complex
• Live Stats

 Friday, Aug. 25 vs Lamar (0-0, 0-0 Southland)

• Time/Site: 4 p.m. ET/ Knight Sports Complex
• Live Stats

The 2023 Panthers squad features six returners from last season's team headlined by senior outside hitter Jade Sadeiko. In 2022, Sadeiko played in 23 matches, starting in 17. She had an excellent season for the Panthers offensively finishing fourth on the team with 198 kills. She recorded a career high 22 kills against UAB on Oct. 7 to go along with 17 digs.

There will be lots of new faces this season for FIU with nine in total consisting of six transfers and three freshmen. Graduate student transfer and outside hitter, Syra Tanchin earned C-USA Preseason Team after a stellar season with North Dakota.

In 2022, Tanchin appeared in all 33 matchs and recorded a career-high and team-best 447 kills, which ranked third in the Summit League. Tanchin notched double figures in kills in 25 of 33 matches, including six with 20 or more. Defensively, she totaled a career-best 300 digs and reached double figures in digs in 16 matches. Tanchin posted her career-high 26 kills against South Dakota on Sept. 2 and recorded her career-high in digs (20) against Southeast Missouri State on Aug. 26.
 
SCOUTING MARYLAND
The last time FIU and Maryland squared off was on September 16, 2006 marking the most recent match between the two programs. The Terps and Panthers went the distance, with Maryland claiming its final match at the Hilton Garden Inn Greenbelt Invitational in five sets.
 
On the road, the Terps found success in 2022 finishing the season with an 8-5 record compared to a 4-9 record at home. Maryland finished with a 16-16 overall record thanks to a historic win streak. Last season, Maryland won four consecutive Big Ten matches for the first time in program history, sweeping Rutgers, Northwestern and No. 9 Purdue before taking down Iowa in four sets.
 
Headlining Maryland's transfers are Lilly Gunter from Mississippi State while also signing Samantha Schnitta from Ole Miss. Gunter joins the Terps after serving as the regular defensive specialist/libero with the Bulldogs for three seasons. She has totaled 1,190 career digs, ranking third in the SEC with 4.29 digs per set in conference play.
 
After playing pin hitter for the Rebels for three seasons, Schnitta joins the Terps to bolster the offense. Schnitta enters 2023 with 432 kills, averaging 2.26 kills per set with a .212 career hitting percentage.
 
Series History: Maryland leads 1-0

SCOUTING LAMAR
Lamar University looks to bounce back this season after finishing 2022 with a 9-20 record in head coach Brandon Crisp first season. Crisp has a lot of new players to work with after just three players and one starter from last season's team returned for a complete rebuild.  
 
The 2023 version of the Cardinals consists of 11 newcomers to the lineup, including three transfers (two NCAA Division I transfers). 

The returning letterwinners include Wiktoria Warpechowska (6-0, MB, Sr.), Kaeden Robinson (5-4, Fr., L) and Taisha Rhone (6-0, Fr., OH). Warpechowska is the team's top returning scorer from last season with 293.5 points (209 kills/100 blocks/26 aces).
 
Lamar starts the 2023 season with 12 matches on the road including the season opener Friday in the Canes Classic. The trip to Miami presents a couple of firsts for the Red and White. It marks the first time in program history that LU has squared off against either FIU or Maryland.

Series History: First matchup

SOCIAL MEDIA
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