LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Wesleyan University volleyball team opens the 2019 season this weekend (Aug. 30-31) with a trip to Texas to compete in the Austin College Invite at Sherman, Texas.
 
NWU will play four total matches on the trip, beginning on Friday (Aug. 30) when the Prairie Wolves face St. Thomas University at 12 pm.  St. Thomas finished 25-7 overall one year ago competing in NAIA.  They are making the transition to NCAA III this season and have joined the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
 
Also on Friday, the Prairie Wolves face Letourneau University at 6 p.m.  Letourneau was picked third in the East Division of the American Southwest Conference preseason poll.  This will be the first ever meeting in volleyball between NWU and Letourneau.
 
On Saturday, NWU starts the day early in the morning against Centenary College at 9 a.m. Centenary is also a DIII school competing in the SCAC.  They finished 18-18 one year and this is also the first time the Prairie Wolves face the Ladies in volleyball.
 
To close out the weekend, the Prairie Wolves take on the host school Austin College at 1 p.m.  The 'Roos were picked 4^th in the SCAC preseason poll after going 16-18 one year ago.  NWU last faced Austin in volleyball during the 1999 season.
 
The Prairie Wolves have two starters returning from the 2018 squad that finished 9-16 overall.  NWU was picked 7^th in the American Rivers Conference preseason poll.