SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco State volleyball team travels south this week to begin the 2019 season at the Seaside Invitational. The Gators take on Southern Nazerene at 1 p.m. on Friday, September 6 before battling host Point Loma at 8 p.m. SF State then goes up against Concordia-Irvine on Saturday at 10:45 a.m. and wrap up the weekend at 3:30 p.m. against Seattle Pacific. All four matches will be live streamed and stats will be provided.

Last month the Gators were picked to win the CCAA North Division in the preseason coaches poll, earning 65 total votes including six first-place nods. SF State is coming off of a successful 2018 campaign where they reached the postseason for the first time since 2015. The Gators kicked off the season with a 6-2 record, which is the best start since 2012, and had ten sweeps on the year, which are the most three-set victories since 2012. 

The Purple and Gold welcome back 11 returners this year including All-CCAA Second Team honoree Jessica Haynie, who ranked ninth in the conference with 3.18 kills per set. Senior Bailey Johnson looks to build off of her successful 2018 season where she hit .312 to rank seventh in the conference and notched the tenth-best hitting mark in program history. 

Gator fans will get their first look at freshmen Trinity Barr, Morgan Spears and Johanna Wood, as well as junior Taylor Garcia. Barr was a two-time MVP at Pioneer High School and is coming off of a Golden Empire League MVP season after leading her team to a 32-6 record. Spears led her Rocklin High School team to the postseason three times including a SFL League Championship in 2018. With over 360 kills and 190 aces in three seasons, Wood was a standout at Patrick Henry High School and is coming off of a 140 dig and 25 assist season for the Patriots. Garcia was named the Pacific West Conference Libero of the Year a season ago while with Notre Dame de Namur and led the conference with 5.36 digs per set and 579 total digs. 

SF State will host its home opener on Thursday, September 12 at 12:30 p.m. against Humboldt State as part of the D2 West Region Showcase. Live stats and a stream will be provided.