CHADRON, Neb. -- The Chadron State College volleyball team hopes to get its season off to a strong start Friday and Saturday when it enters the Bulldog Bash, a classic hosted by Concordia University at Seward, Nebraska.

The Eagles will play York College at noon MT and the host Concordia Bulldogs at 4:30 p.m., on Friday, and on Saturday they tangle with Northwestern College of Iowa at 10 a.m. and the University of Mary from North Dakota at 1 p.m..

This will be the Eagles' second season under the direction of Riann Mullis.  She notes that her team is still under construction, but she believes it will be competitive this fall.

The team captains have been selected by a vote of the team, and are libero Emily Bruce, along with the two junior setters Madison Webb and Mickey Trimble. Webb has filled the setter position in almost every set the Eagles have played the past two years, and Trimble came in at spring semester and instantly won the respect of the team.

Mullis said the Eagles will likely run a 6-2 offense at times so they can have both setters in the lineup.

Another probably starter is Gaby Varela, CSC's 6-1 senior right side hitter.

Transfer outside hitter Keshia Ellwanger has been slowed by an injury during preseason, and is doubtful for this weekend. 

Chadron State's first three opponents this weekend are NAIA teams who have already opened their seasons.

York College, the first foe, was 3-31 last season and is 1-4 after playing each of the past two weekends. 

Concordia, which finished 15-19 a year ago, has a 2-3 record after playing in two classics. 

Northwestern has just one senior and two juniors on its 26-player roster, but opened its season last weekend by going 3-1 during its own classic.  The Red Raiders defeated Mayville State and Valley City State from North Dakota and Waldorf College of Iowa, but lost to Corbin University of Oregon.

Like the Eagles, the Mary Marauders are an NCAA member and will be opening their season this weekend. Mary had a 9-20 record last fall.  

In the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference volleyball preseason coaches' poll, announced earlier on Monday, the Eagles were picked to finish 11th out of the 15 teams in the league, after finishing tied for 10th at the end of last season.

Taylor Woods of Colorado Mesa was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, while Sophia Proano and Kylee Wurster, both of Colorado Christian, were named the Preseason Player of the Year and Setter of the Year, respectively.