Grizzly Volleyball starts season in Florida; First home game September 4

The Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly Volleyball team starts the 2024 season this week in Florida.

They will play Santa Fe College at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, in Gainesville, then take part in a tournament at Florida Southwestern State College Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23 and 24, in Fort Meyers.

On Friday, they'll face the host team at 11:30 a.m. then Daytona State College at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the Grizzlies will play Hillsborough Community College at 10:30 a.m. and Eastern Florida State College at 3:30 p.m.

All times are Central Time.

They return home to host St. Louis Community College in a Missouri Community College Athletic Conference (MCCAC) game at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 4 in the West Plains Civic Center. Admission to the game and the annual Grizzly Club Fall Picnic, which will get underway at 5 p.m. in the civic center exhibit hall, are free.

Paty Figueiredo begins her second season as head coach of the Grizzlies. She is joined on the bench by Robson Da Costa, who is beginning his second year as assistant coach.

Team members include Bianca Salvador, Caxias Do Sul, Brazil; Isabella Calle, Medellin, Colombia; Chesnea Blakey, Rogersville; Cailey Grinstead, Muldrow, Okla.; Mariana Franco, Cartagena, Colombia; Savannah Koen, Kirbyville; Victoria Antia, Candelaria-Valle, Columbia; Violeta Bachvarova, Kazanlak, Bulgaria; Prairie Vaughn, Hackett, Ark. Back row: Gibson Beckler, Conway; Kaitlyn Aleshire, Aurora, Ill.; Wiktoria Jakubik, Grajewo, Poland; Maja Bochenek, Olkusz, Poland; and Elidjah Abomo, Paris, France.

For more information about the Grizzly Volleyball team, visit MSUWPGrizzlies.com.