CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State volleyball team will open the 2023 season and Lindsey Behonick era at the Bobcat Invite, hosted by Montana State, with Friday and Saturday matches. Oregon State will meet hosts, Montana State, for the 21st time before first meetings with both Kennesaw State and North Dakota.
Ahead of this week’s action, the Beavers swept a scrimmage at Portland (25-23, 25-18, 25-21) last Saturday to close out preseason action.
GOOD COMPANY
With a win in the season opener, Behonick can join the last four OSU head coaches to win their debut match.
A FAST START
The Beavs are looking to win their season opener for the sixth time in the last seven non-COVID-impacted seasons.
New Faces in ORANGE AND BLACK
Oregon State welcomes seven – Amanda Burns, Doga Diraz, Ava Pitchford, Lauren Rumel, Elizabeth Schuster, Megan Sheridan and Peyton Suess to the team.
From Atlantic to pacific
A pair of transfers in Ava Pitchford (Florida State) and Peyton Suess (Wake Forest), join Coach Behonick (Pitt) in making the trek west to Corvallis (and the Pac-12) from their former respective ACC campuses.
we can dig it
Oregon State is coming off a season where they finished fifth in the Pac-12 in digs at 1,582 or 13.88 per set. Ryan White leads all returning Beavs with 3.28 digs per set (361) from the ‘22 campaign.
International Flair
Oregon State is one of 10 schools in the Pac-12 to have at least one international student-athlete and one of just four (OSU, Arizona, Utah and Washington State) to have at least three. Doga Diraz, an Ankara, Turkey, native, is also the newest to arrive in Corvallis.
MYCHAEL AND JAMAICA TAKE GOLD
In late July, Mychael Vernon led her national team to the CAZOVA (Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association) Championship. She was honored as the tournament’s MVP, best receiver and outside hitter. With Mychael’s play, Jamaica ran the table to the championship with an unbeaten record and completed the competition with a thrilling, five-set win over Trinidad and Tobago.
GEORGIA ON OUR MIND
In the second match of the weekend, OSU will face a team from the Peach State for the first time in 30 years when they play Kennesaw State. Back in 1992, the Beavs faced Georgia in the comforts of Gill Coliseum.
HURRYING BACK HOME
Following the opening weekend on the road, Behonick will make her head coaching debut at home next weekend in the Asics Invitational. OSU will match up with Oklahoma (Sept. 1) and Boise State (Sept. 3) for the first home contests of the season.
