K-State Invitational • Manhattan, Kan. • Bramlage Coliseum
Friday, August 26
12:00 PM at Kansas State
Live Stats •
ESPN+ •
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Series vs the Wildcats: First Meeting
5:30 PM vs Florida A&M
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Series vs the Wildcats: First Meeting
Saturday, August 27
10:00 AM vs NC State
Live Stats •
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Series vs the Wildcats: SHSU leads 2-0
Full Series History
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston Bearkats will open up the 2022 season this weekend with three matches on the road at the K-State Invitational.
The Kats will battle host Kansas State and Florida A&M on Friday before taking on NC State in the weekend finale on Saturday morning before returning home for the home opener on Tuesday vs Prairie View.
All K-State matches in the tournament will be aired on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, including the Kats' season opener against the Wildcats. Fans can also follow each match via live stats and get updates via social media by following @BearkatsVB on Twitter.
Gray Entering 39th Season At SHSU
The fourth-longest tenured current coach in Division I,
Brenda Gray is entering her 39th season at the helm of the Bearkats in 2022, and enters the season 10th in the nation among active coaches with 748 career victories.
Baker Named Preseason All-WAC
The Kats have always had their fair share of back-row standouts, but
Hannah Baker is off to as good of a career start as any who have come before her. The sophomore, who is entering her third season as a Kat, was named the WAC Preseason Libero of the Year and to the Preseason all-WAC team last week after earning all-WAC second team honors last year. In 2021 she finished second in the league with 5.11 digs per set and leading the league in total digs, picking up double-digit digs in 27 of 28 matches.
Kats Mixing Old And New In 2022
With 10 players back from last year's squad that claimed the WAC Southwest Division title. Normally it would be easy to lean on that, but the Kats took full advantage of the off-season, adding a strong 5-player freshman class along with a trio of key transfers. That transfer group includes graduate additions
Madison Frusha (MB; Seton Hall) and
Analise Lucio (S; UT Permian Basin), along with outside hitter
Lexy Thomas (UAB).
Kats Coming Off Fourth Straight Winning Season
Sam Houston put together an 18-win season a year ago, claiming the WAC Southwest Division title on its way to a berth in the NIVC. It was the second postseason appearance for SHSU in three seasons, but also marked the fourth consecutive winning season for the program. The four consecutive winning seasons is tied for the second longest streak of winning seasons for SHSU at the Division I level since 10 consecutive winning seasons to open up the D-1 era beginning in 1986.
Baker, Krieger Eyeing Milestones
The Kats have a pair of players who have realistic chances of reaching career milestones entering the 2022 season in libero
Hannah Baker and outside hitter
Catherine Krieger. Baker enters the year needing 182 digs to reach 1,000 for her career, while Krieger is coming off a breakout season and needs 301 kills to reach 1,000 in that category.
