AUBURN, Ala. – After making a historic run to the NCAA Tournament last season, the Auburn Tigers are back in action this weekend.
The Tigers went 22-9 last season and made the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Head coach Brent Crouch returned most of his team while picking up noteworthy additions via the transfer portal.
Bella Bell, a senior, is a middle blocker who previously played at Kentucky. Kyla Swanson, a graduate student, is a middle blocker from Illinois. Peyton Dunn, a redshirt junior, is a setter from Oklahoma.
Additionally, Crouch received a five-year contract extension during the offseason.
The energy surrounding the team is high right now as the Tigers look to build on the success from a year ago.
Auburn opens up the season against the Coppin State Eagles on Friday at 6 p.m. CT. This will be the first-ever matchup between the two programs.
The Eagles went 23-11 last season and fell to Delaware State in the championship game of the MEAC Tournament. The Eagles lost to Wake Forest in the first round of the NIVT.
The Eagles return their biggest point-scorer from a season ago in Ammaarah Williams. Williams recorded 415.5 points as well as 337 kills last season.
Auburn plays two matches on Saturday, the first against the McNeese State Cowgirls at 10 a.m. CT. The Tigers are 0-1 against McNeese State, falling to the Cowgirls in 2003.
The Cowgirls went 18-16 last season and fell to Southeastern Louisiana in the second round of the Southland Conference Tournament.
McNeese State is returning its second-highest point-scorer from a season ago in Sanni Rantanen. Rantanen recorded 349 points as well as 228 kills in 2022.
Auburn will close out the weekend against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Saturday at 7 p.m. CT. The Tigers are 8-2 all-time against the in-state opponent.
The Gamecocks went 24-6 last season but fell to Kennesaw State in the first round of the ASUN Tournament.
Jacksonville State had a lot of turnover on its roster this offseason, losing its top three scorers.
Each match will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
