WAXAHACHIE, Texas – Oklahoma City University will test itself for the first time in a season-opening volleyball match on the road against a conference foe.  

The Stars, ranked 19th in the NAIA, puts their top-25 standing on the line at 6 p.m. Monday at the Shaeffer Center. OCU makes a two-match road swing into Texas to open the season, facing Texas Wesleyan at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Oklahoma City features two-time all-American setter Sophia Salak as well as two-time all-region libero Isabel Harwell. The Stars (15-4, 10-0 Sooner Athletic Conference) swept the SAC regular-season and tournament championships for the fifth consecutive year while moving their league winning streak to 36 matches. OCU took an NAIA Championship Opening Round match en route its third consecutive appearance in the NAIA Championships. 

TOP RETURNERS 

• Salak, a senior from McKinney, Texas, nabbed first-team all-American, NAIA South Central Region player of the year, region setter of the year, SAC most valuable player, conference setter of the year and SAC Tournament MVP in 2020-21. Salak produced 11.93 assists, 2.04 digs, 0.54 aces and 0.43 blocks a set 

• Harwell, a senior from Edmond, Okla., hauled in first-team all-region and all-conference accolades. Harwell turned in a 4.67 digs and 0.66 aces per set 

• OCU returns six all-conference performers, including Kenady Bertling, who was on the first team, and Ella Lofton and Catelyn Vargas, who made second-team all-SAC. Olivia Nutter took honorable-mention all-conference. Bertling, a senior from Baytown, Texas, supplied OCU with 2.39 kills and 0.58 blocks a set 

• Lofton, a senior from Cedar Park, Texas, became a three-time all-SAC performer, while Vargas, a junior from Lubbock, Texas, took her second all-conference nod 

NEW FACES 

• Ruby Kelley came to OCU after becoming first-team Oklahoman all-city and all-Central Oklahoma Athletic Conference. Kelley, a freshman from Mustang, Okla., propelled Mustang to the Class 6A state runner-up finish 

• Dylan Sokolosky, a freshman from Oklahoma City, collected Oklahoma Coaches Association all-state and second-team all-city honors 

• Josie Thomas, a freshman from Choctaw, Okla., became OCA all-state and honorable-mention all-city 

PRESEASON BUZZ 

• Oklahoma City made the preseason top 25 for the second year in a row and the national rankings for the 13th consecutive poll 

• The Stars garnered nine first-place votes on the way to the top of the preseason SAC poll 

MEET THE COACH 

• Kristen Coventon has taken region and conference coach of the year the past two years. Coventon has led the Stars to a 49-8 mark with two SAC regular-season and tournament crowns with two appearances in the NAIA Championships 

• Coventon owns a 135-92 record in seven years as a head coach. 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 

• OCU hosts Langston at 6 p.m. Sept. 16 for its first home match of the season 

• The conference tournament takes place Nov. 9-13 with quarterfinal matches on campus sites. The SAC Tournament will be at OCU's Abe Lemons Arena for the fourth year in a row. The tournament semifinals will be Nov. 12 with the tournament championship Nov. 13  

• The NAIA Championship Opening Round will be Nov. 20 on campus sites around the nation. The NAIA Championships happens Nov. 30-Dec. 4 at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa