Live Stats

The Niagara Purple Eagles start the 2017 season at the Syracuse Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Purple Eagles face Colgate on Friday at 1 p.m. and play two games on Saturday against Syracuse at 10 a.m. followed by Grand Canyon at 5:30 p.m.

Purple Points

• Buoyed by the upward swing of the program, the Purple Eagles were picked fourth in the 2017 MAAC Preseason Poll for their highest preseason ranking since the 2012 season (second).
• Two-time reigning MAAC Libero of the Year Rylee Hunt was tabbed to the Preseason All-MAAC Team.
• Niagara is in search of its first season opening win since 2010.

Who's Back

• Vilis Ozols returns for his fifth season leading the program, along with 11 letterwinners.
• All-MAAC selections – Rylee Hunt, Nicole Matheis (second team) and Caroline Leitch (rookie) are back along with setters Alexis Gray and Meghan Higley, outside hitter Madison May, middle blockers Cameron Maris, Aleksandra Steins, Draik Banks and Jada Carrol, and defensive specialist Emillie Wright.

Who's "NU"

• Five newcomers were added to the program.
• Outside hitter Molly Carges, outside hitter Sarah Dobinson, setter Rachel Hall, middle blocker Grace Hetterscheidt and defensive specialist Jaycie Roberts.

Milestone Watch

• Three Purple Eagles enter their senior seasons eyeing program records and milestones
• Alexis Gray is 16 aces from tying Kari Honomichl ('12) as the career leader in aces.
• Rylee Hunt is third all-time on the digs list and is 130 behind second (Micole Daluisio)
• Nicole Matheis is 43 kills away from becoming the seventh Purple Eagle in program history will 1000 kills. She is currently eighth on the all-time kills list.

Aces Up Their Sleeves

• For the second straight season, Niagara finished in the top-10 in aces per set and top-15 in total aces and led the MAAC in both categories.
• The Purple Eagles were seventh in aces (205) and ninth in the NCAA in aces per set (1.71).
• Alexis Gray led the conference and was 15^th with 49 aces.

Across The Net
Colgate Raiders (0-0, 0-0 Patriot)

• Colgate returns 13 letterwinners and four starters from last season's team that went 18-11, 13-3 in the Patriot League, and was finalist in the conference championship.
• Niagara opened the 2014 season against Colgate, falling in five sets. Nicole Matheis and Alexis Gray, then freshmen, led the match with 22 kills and 54 assists, respectively.

Syracuse Orange (0-0, 0-0 ACC)

• The Orange were picked 10^th in the 15-team ACC and return 11 letterwinners and five starters, including Preseason All-ACC Team selection Santita Ebangwese.  
• Niagara also played Syracuse in the 2014 season as part of the Syracuse Tournament. NU won the third set before losing 3-1. Niagara's lone victory in the series came in September 2011.

Grand Canyon Lopes (0-0, 0-0 WAC)

• Grand Canyon returns 11 letterwinners and six starters from last season's team that went 6-21.
• This will be the first meeting between the programs.

Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and for volleyball updates at @NiagaraVB. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.