Pittsburg, Kan. — The Pittsburg State volleyball program will play host to the Gorilla Classic Tournament Friday and Saturday (Sept. 8-9) at John Lance Arena.

Action begins at 9 a.m. (CDT) both days with five matches per day slated. Adult single day tickets (good for all five matches each day) are $10, while student tickets are $5.

The Gorillas are scheduled to play four matches over two days, beginning with an 11:30 a.m. match-up against Drury Friday. Pitt State also will face Northwestern Oklahoma at 7 p.m. to wrap up the opening day's five-match slate.

On Saturday, the Gorillas will battle No. 11 ranked Southwest Minnesota State at 2 p.m. and future MIAA foe Arkansas For Smith at 7 p.m.  [Click Here for a full tournament schedule]

The Gorilla Scoop

• The Gorillas are 1-3 on the young season following four matches at the Oredigger Classic at Golden, Colo., last weekend. After dropping a pair of matches to national ranked Colorado Mesa (3-0) and Colorado Mines (3-1), Pitt State scored a 3-2 win over Augustana (S.D.), a squad ranked just outside the top 25, last Saturday (Sept. 2).
• Senior outside hitter Janae Thurston leads the attack this season with 56.5 points (3.77 per set), 52 kills (3.47 per set), five block assists and one service ace while being tied atop the team leaderboards for digs with 41 (2.73 per set).
• Junior setter Jadyn Jackson is the conductor of the offense this season with 125 assists (8.33 per set). She also has chipped in with 17 kills (1.13 per set) and 41 digs (2.73 per set).
• The Gorillas were picked sixth in the 2023 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll after posting a 17-14 overall record (11-11 MIAA) while advancing to the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament in 2022.
• Nine letterwinners are back from 2022 with six getting the start in 10 or more matches.
• Jen Gomez is in her eighth season leading the Gorillas. She has an 88-98 overall record at PSU with four straight MIAA Tournament appearances.
• Miranda Rodriguez is in her fourth season helping Gomez and the Gorillas to a 51-54 overall record and three straight MIAA Tournament berths.

The Opposition

• Drury went 0-4 in the first weekend of the season at the Bahama House Labor Day Classic. Picked to finish 10th in the GLVC preseason poll the Panthers are led by Juliana Squire with 47.5 points (3.39 per set) and 41 kills (2.93 per set). Lauren Tyler is the team leader in assists with 77 (5.50 per set). She has chipped in with 26 digs (1.86 per set).

• Northwestern Oklahoma began the season 2-2 at the Missouri Southern Invite picking up a win over MIAA foe Newman. The Rangers were picked to finish in a tie for seventhplace in the GAC preseason poll. NWOSU is led offensively by Erika Asencio Soriano with 43.0 points (3.31 per set) and 37 kills (2.85 per set). Cameron Lobb leads the team with 88 assists (5.50 per set) while chipping in with 36 digs (2.25 per set).

• Southwest Minnesota State is ranked 11th in the week one AVCA D2 Top 25 poll after beginning the season 3-1 at the Spring Hill / West Florida Classic. Picked to finish fifth in the NSIC preseason poll, the Mustangs are led by Brooklyn Kusler in the early going with 65.0 points (5.00 per set) and a team-high 52 kills (4.00 per set). Alisa Bengen has a team-high 156 assists (12.00 per set) along with 36 digs (2.77 per set).

• Arkansas – Fort Smith enters the tournament as the lone undefeated team in the field after going 4-0 in the Newberry Invitational. The Lady Lions were picked to finish eighth in the Lone Star Conference for their final year as a member before joining the MIAA in the 2024-25 school year. Caelyn Gunn leads the team with 53.0 points (3.53 per set) and 48 kills (3.20 per set). Chloe Price has dished out 140 assists (9.33 per set) and has totaled 38 digs (2.53 per set) to date.