NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport Volleyball team is set to kick off their 2024 season at the Freeman Center with the Captains Classic. The Captains will host three matches this weekend on August 30 and 31.

Match Details

The Captains will open the 2024 Captains Classic with two matches on Friday, August 30. The first match is set for 3:00 p.m. against William Paterson, followed by a showdown with No. 1 ranked Juniata at 7:00 p.m. On Saturday, August 31, Christopher Newport will face off against No. 4 Johns Hopkins at 1:00 p.m. Fans can catch all the action live on CNU All Access.

Last Time Out

In 2023, the Captains made their 16th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship, finishing the season with a 22-13 record. CNU secured 16 of their 22 victories on the road and earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament, where they claimed a first-round victory over Ramapo before falling to No. 16 Wesleyan. The team is anchored by All-American Alyssa Dozier, the reigning Coast-to-Coast Conference Player of the Year, and senior DS Noelle Starr, who garnered VaSID first-team All-State honors. With most of the starting lineup returning, including C2C Rookie of the Year Samantha Dorn, the Captains have everything in place for another strong season under the experienced guidance of head coach Lindsay Birch.

By The Numbers

388 - Samantha Dorn made an immediate impact in her debut season, leading the conference with 388 kills. Her performance earned her conference Rookie of the Year honors last season.

Series History

This weekend marks the first-ever meeting between Christopher Newport and William Paterson. The Captains hold a 5-14 all-time record against Juniata, with their last matchup occurring on the road last season. Meanwhile, CNU has faced Johns Hopkins six times, splitting the series at 3-3, including a 3-1 victory in their most recent encounter in 2022.

Scouting the Blue Jays

Johns Hopkins enters the 2024 season atop the Centennial Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll and ranked No. 4 in the AVCA Preseason Coaches Poll. The Blue Jays, winners of the last seven conference championships, return nearly their entire roster from the 2023 squad that reached the Elite 8. Led by All-Americans Simrin Carlsen, the reigning Centennial Conference Player of the Year, and Helena Swaak.

Scouting the Eagles

Juniata is coming off a national championship season having completed a historic 35-0 run in 2023, including 29 victories in straight sets. The Eagles' perfect season is only the fourth in NCAA Division III women's volleyball history. Juniata boasted four AVCA All-Americans, led by middle hitter Mackenzie Coley and setter Olivia Foley, both of whom earned First Team honors. The Eagles also return All-Tournament selection Kiona Sky Rousset-Hernandez.

Scouting the Pioneers

William Paterson was predicted to finish third in the NJAC and voted as this year's dark horse. The Pioneers are coming off a strong 26-7 campaign in 2023, driven by a standout rookie class. They're led by outside hitter Cecilia Miller, a First Team All-Conference selection who topped the NJAC in kills (3.71/set) and points (4.26/set) as a freshman. She's supported by setter Abby Houpt, another all-conference pick who led the league in assists (10.10/set). Defensively, the Pioneers are anchored by Paola Molina, the reigning NJAC Defensive Player of the Year, who posted the second-highest dig average (4.86/set) in the conference.