Volleyball 2/21/2021 2:00:00 PM

OCU boasts of capable squad

Stars own previous four league titles

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University brings back plenty of firepower from a squad that produced a landmark season in Stars volleyball history.
In 2019, the Stars put together a 34-4 record with a trip to the round of 16 in the NAIA Championships. OCU captured both the Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships for the fourth consecutive year.
OCU holds the 16th spot in the national rankings entering its season debut 6 p.m. Monday against Texas Wesleyan at Abe Lemons Arena. The Stars return the American Volleyball Coaches Association NAIA South Central Region player of the year (Sophia Salak), the regional defender of the year (Isabel Harwell) and another first-team all-region performer (Lacy Beeler).

TOP RETURNERS

• Salak boasted of second-team NAIA all-American, regional player of the year, SAC most valuable player and MVP of the SAC Tournament as a sophomore. Salak, a junior from McKinney, Texas, turned in 11.11 assists, 2.20 digs, 0.48 aces and 0.36 blocks a set while ranking sixth in the NAIA in assist average and assists (1,455). She tallied the eighth 60-assist total in Oklahoma City history vs. Providence (Mont.) on Dec. 3, 2019 in the NAIA Championships
• Harwell landed regional defender of the year and SAC defensive player of the year. Harwell, a junior from Edmond, Okla., posted 4.92 digs and 0.41 aces per set the previous season. She matched the OCU single-contest record with 36 digs against Evangel (Mo.) on Aug. 16, 2019 as she notched two 30-dig performances
• Beeler accrued first-team all-region and all-conference acclaim. Beeler, a senior from Jenks, Okla., rang up 3.60 kills, 3.50 digs, 0.47 blocks and 0.44 aces a set last season. Beeler owns two career all-SAC nods
• Ella Lofton, a senior from Cedar Park, Texas, reeled in second-team all-SAC honors. Lofton, a two-time all-SAC performer, provided OCU with 2.84 kills and 0.28 blocks a set in 2019
• Catelyn Vargas, a sophomore from Lubbock, Texas, became an honorable-mention all-conference choice. Vargas averaged 1.89 kills and 0.89 blocks per set last season

NEW FACES

• Rylee Steward helped Edmond Santa Fe win two state championships during her prep career. Steward, a freshman from Edmond, Okla., took Oklahoman all-city and all-conference accolades
• Hannah Grundy, a freshman from Oklahoma City, contributed to Bishop McGuinness' run to the Class 5A state tournament semifinals as a prep senior

PRESEASON BUZZ

• The Stars open the season at 16th in the NAIA rankings. OCU appeared among the top 25 for the eighth consecutive poll
• OCU collected the No. 1 spot in the preseason SAC coaches poll. Conference coaches gave the Stars all 10 possible No. 1 votes

MEET THE COACH

• Kristen Coventon guided the Stars to a banner year in her first year as head coach. OCU (34-4) established a program record with an .895 winning percentage, which ranked fourth in the NAIA in 2019. Oklahoma City equaled the most wins in program history and ranked fourth nationally in wins with its fifth 30-win season, a school-record 33 wins in a row and the SAC's 12th unbeaten mark in league play at 20-0. OCU reached the NAIA Championships for the fifth time, the round of 16 for the second instance and the national rankings for the first time in three years while sweeping the SAC regular-season and tournament championships for the fourth consecutive year
• Coventon returned to OCU after spending the previous five years as Southwestern Christian head coach, leading the Eagles to many program benchmarks, including their most wins in a season (23), their first winning season and mentoring their first NAIA all-American. She spent two seasons as an assistant coach for OCU prior to becoming a head coach
• She is vice president and founder of Rise Volleyball Club and has been head coach of the USA Volleyball Oklahoma region high performance team

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

• Oklahoma City has its final regular-season home match against USAO at 7 p.m. March 15 at Abe Lemons Arena. The Stars have scheduled four contests inside Abe Lemons Arena
• OCU hosts the SAC Tournament semifinals and championship April 9-10. The Stars have been the host for the league tournament the past three years
• The NAIA Championship Opening Round takes place April 17 on campus sites. The NAIA Championships are April 27-May 1 in Sioux City, Iowa

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Players Mentioned

#2 Lacy Beeler: OH; 6' 0"; Senior

#5 Isabel Harwell: DS/Libero; 5' 5"; Junior

#4 Ella Lofton: OH; 5' 8"; Senior

#10 Sophia Salak: S; 5' 10"; Junior

#22 Catelyn Vargas: OH; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#6 Hannah Grundy: OH; 5' 11"; Freshman

#20 Rylee Steward: MB; 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#2 Lacy Beeler
: 6' 0"; Senior
: OH

#5 Isabel Harwell
: 5' 5"; Junior
: DS/Libero

#4 Ella Lofton
: 5' 8"; Senior
: OH

#10 Sophia Salak
: 5' 10"; Junior
: S

#22 Catelyn Vargas
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: OH

#6 Hannah Grundy
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: OH

#20 Rylee Steward
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: MB