BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb volleyball team is set to begin its spring 2021 schedule this weekend with a pair of Big South Conference matches at Radford.
 
GWU hits the court for the first time since the conclusion of the 2019 season due to the 2020 season being shifted to the spring of 2021 because of COVID-19.  The season consists of a 16-match double-round robin slate spanning nine weeks with contests schedules for consecutive days against the same opponent at the same location.  This year's regular-season champion will earn the Big South's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
 
Gardner-Webb returns eight members of last year's squad, including Hannah Donaldson, who led GWU with 28 service aces and 84 sets played, and led returners with 129 kills and 2.45 points per set.   Alexandria Roycraft led the Runnin' Bulldogs last season with 90 blocks, while Sophia Bolden led returners with 120 digs and Lauryn Rocassin led returners with 195 assists.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs also have five newcomers in junior Audrey Gun and freshmen Madison Deslatte, Brooke Fryar, Mikah McIntosh and Tori Weatherley.
 
At the helm of the Runnin' Bulldogs will be first-year head coach Christina Kremer, who joined the Runnin' Bulldogs after spending the 2019 season as an assistant coach at Penn.
 
The Highlanders enter the season with a new head coach in Sherisa Livingston and a pair of seniors in Jordan Coomes and Maddie Lentz.  Last season, Radford posted a 10-16 overall record and 6-8 record in Big South play.
 
Saturday's match is set for a 7:00 pm start time, while the series wraps up Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm.  Saturday's bout will be broadcast live on ESPN+.