Tulsa Volleyball Set to Host Hurricane Classic

The University of Tulsa Volleyball team will begin their 2016 campaign on Friday as they welcome in three opposing squads for the Hurricane Classic. The Golden Hurricane will start the tournament with a matchup against Incarnate Word on Friday at 12 p.m. before taking on Alabama that evening at 7 p.m.

Tulsa Head Coach Ryan Wills begins his third season at the helm of the Golden Hurricane, compiling a 37-26 record through two years. Tulsa returns 10 letterwinners from last season's team that finished tied for fourth in the American Athletic Conference including back-to-back unanimous Preseason All-AAC honoree Erica Bohannon. Bohannon ranked top-20 nationally in attacks, kills, and points in 2015.

The Golden Hurricane will take on the Cardinals of Incarnate Word in their first match having won six of their last eight season openers. Incarnate Word went 8-17 last season while finishing 10^th in the Southland Conference under 13^th-year head coach Jennifer Montoya.

Tulsa's second game of the tournament will reunite Wills and former Hurricane head coach Ed Allen, who is now at the helm of the Crimson Tide program. Wills was an assistant under Allen at Tulsa during the 2010 season and continued as an assistant when Allen left for Alabama before returning to coach at his Alma Mater in 2014. Last season, Wills and Tulsa defeated Alabama 3-2 in the first ever meeting between the two programs.

Before the Alabama match, Tulsa will retire former three-time second-team AVCA All-American Tyler Henderson's jersey. Henderson (2009-12) led the Golden Hurricane to three straight conference championships on her way to being named Conference USA Player of the Year three times. The four-time First-Team All-Conference USA honoree set five NCAA records since collegiate play moved to 25-point sets: single match kills (45), single-season kills (710), kills per set in a single season (6.23), career kills (2,525), and career kills per set (5.22). Henderson will be the second former Golden Hurricane to have their jersey retired as she joins Julia Silva (2005-07).

Tulsa will wrap up play at the Hurricane Classic on Saturday afternoon with a matchup against South Dakota. The Coyotes are coming off a 15-16 campaign last season that saw them finish fifth in The Summit League and return senior all-conference honoree Audrey Reeg, who led South Dakota in kills (426).

For all Tulsa Volleyball news and information, follow on TulsaHurricane.com and on Twitter and Facebook.

Weekly Notes

Tulsa Volleyball Set to Host Hurricane Classic

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Erica Bohannon