CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Elon University volleyball team begins its 2023 regular season at the Charlotte Invitational with a trio of matches beginning on Friday.
 
The Phoenix opens its season playing twice on Friday with a match against Coastal Carolina at 10:00 a.m. before facing tournament host Charlotte at 7 p.m. The maroon and gold close out the tournament on Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. matchup against Charleston Southern.  
  
COVERAGE

• Live stats will be available (follow links on the Elon Volleyball schedule page by CLICKING HERE.
• The Friday match at 7:00 p.m. against Charlotte will be streamed live on ESPN+. 
• For live updates during matches, follow the Elon Volleyball Twitter account @ElonVB.   

PHOENIX FACTS 

• Elon went 13-14 (10-6 CAA) last season, finishing fifth in the CAA regular season standings. 
• The Phoenix made it to the conference tournament for the fourth year in a row. The maroon and gold lost to Northeastern in the first round.  
• Elon returns eight players from last year's roster, including Clara LaRue, who was named to the 2022 CAA All-Rookie Team, Sydney Love, who played all 27 matches, and Jordan Gower, who led the conference in average digs per set. 
• Elon's team captains are Jordan Gower and Sydney Love. 
• The maroon and gold return its leaders in digs and solo blocks from last season. 
• The Phoenix welcomes seven newcomers in freshmen Caroline Berlekamp, Jessica Parker, Shannon O'Laughlin, Cameron Lanier, Kyla Johnson, Keira Kasten and graduate transfer Abigail Sparkman. 
• Elon is led by head coach Mary Tendler, who is in her 21st season with the team.  

 
PRESEASON POLL & ALL-CAA TEAM 

• Elon was selected to finish seventh in the 2023 CAA Preseason Poll. Defending champion Towson ranked first in the poll, earning 11 first-place votes.  
• Jordan Gower was tabbed as an honorable mention to the Preseason All-CAA Team. The Raleigh, N.C. native led the conference in digs per set (4.57) and was No. 4 in digs (439) last season. 
• Rising junior Sydney Love also was named an All-CAA Preseason Honorable Mention. The Chesapeake, Va. native led all CAA outside hitters in blocks and blocks per set in the 2022 season.   

 
THE SERIES 

• Coastal Carolina is 9-3 in the all-time series. The teams last played on Nov 14, 2002, with the Chants winning in four sets.  
• Charlotte holds an 8-7 edge against Elon. The 49ers swept the Phoenix in their last matchup on Sept. 8, 2021.  
• Elon leads 9-6 when playing Charleston Southern. In their last meeting, the maroon and gold swept the Buccaneers on Sept. 8, 2017.  

 
SCOUTING COASTAL CAROLINA 

• Coastal Carolina posted a 17-13 record last year, finishing second in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. 
• The Chants compiled a 7-2 mark in home court matches and 5-7 in away court matches last season.  
• Coastal Carolina's roster consists of eight newcomers with five transfers and brings back five veterans from last season's squad.  
• The Chants were picked to finish third in the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Poll.  
• Coastal Carolina is led by eleventh-year head coach Jozsef Forman.  

  
SCOUTING CHARLOTTE 

• Charlotte compiled an overall record of 11-16 last season and finished sixth in Conference USA. 
• The 49ers have officially joined the American Athletic Conference for the upcoming season.  
• A team full of veterans, Charlotte welcomes only two freshmen to the squad this season.  
• Charlotte was picked to finish seventh in the Eastern Division of the 2023 American Conference Preseason Poll.
• Karen Washington is in her ninth year at the helm of the 49ers.  

  
SCOUTING CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 

• Charleston Southern produced an overall record of 15-16, finishing fourth in the league last fall. 
• The Buccaneers were selected to finish third in the Big South Conference Preseason Poll, their highest placing in over three decades.  
• Senior Indigo Young was named Second-Team All-Conference after leading the conference in hitting percentage (.371) last season.  
• Sophomore Skylar Yates earned a spot on the All-Freshman squad. 
• The Buccaneers are coached by Carry Brown, in her first year with the team.  

  
UP NEXT 

• Elon will compete in the Wofford Invitational in Spartanburg, S.C. next Friday and Saturday, Sept. 1-2. The Phoenix will play a pair of matches on Friday, facing Georgia State at 12:30 p.m. before taking on South Carolina State at 4:30 p.m. The maroon and gold conclude the tournament on Saturday with a 1 p.m. matchup against tournament host, Wofford.