WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Area residents can get their first look at the 2021 Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Volleyball team in action at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, during the annual Grizzly Alumni Volleyball Game at the West Plains Civic Center arena.
The game will pit the 2021 Grizzlies against players from previous squads. The contest is being held in conjunction with the university’s Move-In Weekend activities and will be free.
“This is always a fun event for us and our fans,” Grizzly Volleyball Head Coach Paula Wiedemann said. “It’s a chance to see this year’s team for the first time and some familiar faces from the past.”
Wiedemann said she hears from alumni who plan to attend, but pointed out there are always surprises. “You never know who will show up for the game. Something we have to contend with is the fact that so many of our former players are coaches themselves, and they are in the middle of their preseasons, as well,” she explained.
“Even so, we hope to have a good group here to play and, as always, it is great to reconnect with our alumni and have our current players meet those who built the culture of our program,” Wiedemann added. “Our alumni created an atmosphere of excellence and it’s important to not take it for granted.”
The alumni will take on a Grizzly team that returns four players from last year’s squad:
- Angelina Hardison, a 6-foot, 2-inch middle/right side hitter from Houston, Texas
- Ceci Westfall, a 6-foot, 1-inch setter/right side hitter from Ozark, Missouri
- Manuela Bibinbe, a 6-foot, 3-inch right side hitter from Yaounde, Cameroon
- Lauren Weber, a 5-foot, 9-inch libero from Nixa, Missouri
They will be joined by nine incoming freshmen:
- Leticia Barea, a 6-foot, 1-inch middle/outside hitter from Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Manoela Rosa, a 5-foot, 6-inch defensive specialist/libero from Curitiba, Brazil
- Raina Forstrom, a 6-foot right side hitter from Cuba, Missouri
- Sydney Rupert, a 5-foot, 9-inch outside hitter from Fleming Island, Florida
- Alana Moesch, a 6-foot, 2-inch middle/right side hitter from Lajeado, Brazil
- Jalise Stewart, a 5-foot, 11-inch outside hitter from Batesville, Arkansas
- Sthefany Maximo, a 5-foot, 5-inch defensive specialist/libero from Uberlandia, Brazil
- Doga Kultu, a 5-foot, 9-inch setter from Cakaya, Turkey
- Heather Montague, a 5-foot, 8-inch setter/outside/right side hitter from Koshkonong, Missouri
“It’s always great to see our alumni, and there are so many people who enjoy the event – the players, alumni, coaches, former host families, and campus and community fans who were involved with the alumni when they were at Missouri State-West Plains as student athletes,” Wiedemann said. “This event sparks our season, and it brings together everything that makes this program so special. We invite everyone to come out, watch this year’s alumni match and meet the 2021 Grizzlies!”
For more information about the Grizzly Volleyball team, visit its website at msuwpgrizzlies.com/sports/wvball/index.
Missouri State University-West Plains empowers students to achieve personal success and to enrich their local and global communities by providing accessible, affordable and quality educational opportunities. Missouri State-West Plains offers associate degrees and credit and non-credit courses and serves as a delivery site for bachelor’s and master’s degrees offered by Missouri State University in Springfield.
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