VOLLEYBALL SET TO BEGIN BIG SOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINAL

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CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

RADFORD, Va. – A brand new season begins for the Highlanders as they prepare to compete in the Big South Championship semifinals on Saturday at 7 p.m., in the Dedmon Center. No. 2 Radford will have a first round bye and look to face the winner of No. 3 Campbell and No. 6 Winthrop.

SETTING THE STAGE
• Location: Radford, Va. (Dedmon Center)
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Live Stats
• Watch Live

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS (23-4, 13-3 BIG SOUTH)
• Maddie Palmer, winner of back-to-back Big South Player of the Year awards, leads the Highlanders with 392 kills and a .260 hitting percentage.
• The senior is the third player in school history to win consecutive Big South Conference Player of the Year awards.
• Radford landed four postseason awards as Palmer was the only one named First Team.
• Haley Kleespies, who is tied for a conference-high 10.11 assists per set, landed on the Second Team.
• The junior surpassed 1,000 kills for the third straight season and led the team with 34 service aces.
• Stephanie Neast was the other Highlander with second-team honors for the first time in her young career. Neast tallied 242 kills, but led the team with a .281 hitting percentage (with 200-plus kills).
• Valerie Gonzalez was the final player to earn all-conference honors as she was named Honorable Mention. She was second on the team with 260 kills averaging 2.74 kills per set.
• Radford was named a top-100 team by the AVCA, which was released on Wednesday.
• Since 2013, the Highlanders are 7-3 in the Big South Tournament.

OPPONENT: NO. 3 CAMPBELL / NO. 6 WINTHROP
• The Highlanders will take on the winner of the No. 3 and No. 6 seed quarterfinal matchup of Campbell and Winthrop.
• The Highlanders won both matchups against the two teams this year with a combined 12-3 record in set wins.
• Maddie Palmer compiled a total of 50 kills against Campbell and Winthrop this season. She totaled 36 kills against the Fighting Camels and 24 against the Eagles.
• Defensively, the Highlanders have recorded 20 total blocks as a team when facing Campbell.
• Against Winthrop, they hit an average of .282 as a team with 99 total kills this season.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Valerie Gonzalez: RS; 6' 1"; Junior

#3 Haley Kleespies: S; 5' 8"; Junior

#19 Stephanie Neast: RS; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#20 Maddie Palmer: OH; 6' 0"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#5 Valerie Gonzalez
: 6' 1"; Junior
: RS

#3 Haley Kleespies
: 5' 8"; Junior
: S

#19 Stephanie Neast
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: RS

#20 Maddie Palmer
: 6' 0"; Senior
: OH