WASHINGTON - Three matches on the opening weekend of the 2023 season include two in Bender Arena for American University volleyball. The Eagles will host George Washington at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25 and will host Georgetown in their "Bender Blue Out" match on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 4 p.m. In between, AU will travel to nearby George Mason for a 2 p.m. match on Saturday.
Quick Info
- Dates/Times: Friday, Aug. 25 vs. GW (6 p.m) / Saturday, Aug. 26 at George Mason (2 p.m.) / Sunday, Aug. 27 vs. Georgetown (4 p.m.)
- Site: Washington, D.C. (Friday and Sunday); Fairfax, Va. (Saturday)
- Ticket Info for Friday and Sunday: AUEagles.com/Tickets
- TV (all three matches) ESPN+
- Talent for Friday and Sunday: Dan Laing (pxp), Sam Danai (analyst)
Parking
- Move-in week at American University will be wrapping up on Friday.
- If overflow parking is needed, fans can use either the Katzen Arts Center garage on Massachusetts Ave. (main AU entrance) or the SIS garage off of Nebraska Ave.
- Parking is free in all campus garages on weekends and after 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Inside the Series
- In the all-time series histories, American leads George Washington 11-10, leads George Mason 23-18 and leads Georgetown 19-11.
- Last year, the Eagles swept all three matches on the opening weekend, dropping only one set overall with a 3-1 defeat of GW.
- The Eagles have now won five straight against GW.
- AU is meeting all three of these teams together for a third year in a row.
What to Know About American
- American is under the direction of first-year head coach Ahen Kim, who was on the bench as an assistant coach for the Eagles from 2012-17 under Barry Goldberg.
- The Eagles will wear jersey patches all season long commemorating their former coach. Goldberg, who amassed an incredible 812 wins at AU, passed away of cancer in March.
- There is plenty of experience on a veteran-heavy roster for the Eagles this season. Four athletes are using a fifth season of eligibility due to the pandemic, while three others are in their fourth season of collegiate volleyball.
- To balance the veterans, seven newcomers joined the program including six true freshmen.
- Leading the way is graduate outside hitter Zeynep Uzen, a three-time Patriot League First Team honoree who was named the PL Preseason Player of the Year for a second year in a row.
- Uzen surpassed 1,000 career kills last season, and enters her final year with 1,252 kills to rank eighth all-time at American. She led the Eagles and ranked second in the PL with 4.26 kills per set as a senior last year.
- Graduate student Carlie Fikse started in all 33 matches last season, and led the league with a hitting pct. of .336. Her 246 kills ranked second on the team, as did her 116 blocks.
- American finished last season 15-15 overall with a 7-9 mark in the PL. The Eagles' season ended in the conference tournament quarterfinals with a 3-1 loss at Navy.
Single Match Ticket Information
- Adult: $8
- Youth (3-14)/Senior (65+) : $5
- Military and Veterans : Free (must present a valid ID)
- Check back in the coming weeks for promotional schedules and special events.
How to Watch ESPN+
- A subscription to ESPN+ is available for purchase via ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com, or the ESPN App. Fans can access ESPN+ content only after they have subscribed. To subscribe, click here. It costs $9.99/month or $99.99/year.
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