NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University volleyball team opens its 30th year of competition when it travels to the Colgate Classic in Hamilton, N.Y., this weekend.

The Purple Eagles open their season on Cottrell Court Friday with a 4:30 p.m. match vs. Rhode Island. Saturday, Niagara meets the host Raiders at 12:30 p.m. and then New Hampshire at 3 p.m.

First-year head coach Susan Clements welcomes nine returning letterwinners, including five starters from the 2006 squad, back to the court this weekend.

Junior Nicole Piette (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) returns in the middle after hitting .204 last season and collecting 2.53 kills per game. Senior Raelean Rush (Amherst, N.Y./Sweet Home) is the Purple Eagles’ top returner on the outside after averaging 3.27 kills per game and ranking second in digs per game (3.54). Defensively, senior Sara Mancini (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) returns after topping the squad with 4.83 digs per game.

Rhode Island also opens its season Friday. The Rams, picked fifth in the Atlantic 10 West Division preseason poll, finished the 2006 season 7-24 overall. Rhode Island has seven returning players and has five rookies. Junior Jillian Bekke is the Rams’ top returner after averaging 2.46 kills per game and hitting .156 last season.

Colgate was picked fourth in the preseason Patriot League poll after finishing 14-15 overall last year. First team All-Patriot League selection Katrina Zawojski returns as the Raiders’ top offensive weapon. The junior right side hitter averaged 4.14 kills and hit .267 in 2006. She also topped the squad with 70 blocks and was second in digs with 247.

New Hampshire earned the No. 3 spot on the America East preseason poll after posting an 11-16 record a year ago. The Wildcats return six starters and boasts four of last year’s America East All-Rookie Team selections, including Alyse Lahti, who led the team in digs (4.25). Senior outside hitter Emmy Blouin led the team in kills per game (3.94) and hit .222.

In the all-time series, Niagara trails in the Colgate series, 5-2, and last met the Raiders in 2005, beating them in three games in the Western New York Invitational. The Purple Eagles meet the Rams and the Wildcats for the first time. Niagara will also be looking to win its season opener for the first time since 2001 when it beat Binghamton in five games.