Bearkat Volleyball Team Set For 2012 Season

by Cheval John

The Sam Houston State Bearkat volleyball team is set to make a run towards post-season play starting tomorrow when they will host the Sam Houston Volleyball Invitational at Bernard Johnson Coliseum.

Along with the Bearkats, the teams that will participate in the tournament are the University of Colorado, Texas Southern University and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

Head coach Brenda Gray returns for her 29^th season at the helm.

She is among the 29 active head coaches with 500 or more wins (575) at the NCAA Division I.

The Bearkats were picked to finish No.4 in the Southland Conference in pre-season coaches polls.

They finished with a conference record of 11-5 record (17-12 overall) and made the SLC Post-Season tournament, where they were knocked out by UTSA in the semifinal round of the tournament.

The Bearkats are returning nine letterman including four starters.

Three of the starters, (Kim Black, Kendall Cleveland and Kaylee Hawkins), were named to the 2012 pre-season All-Southland Conference team.

Black, a senior from Huntsville, led the team with 139 blocks last season.

It was the highest in one season since SHSU moved up to the NCAA Division I in 1986.

She is two-time All-Southland Conference Selection and is currently No.2 in career blocks at SHSU.

Cleveland, a senior from Houston, was fifth on the team with 179 kills and contributed with 45 blocks last year.

Hawkins, a senior from Dickson, is ranked No.9 in SHSU history with 1,345 career digs.

She was fourth on the team with 186 kills and is a two-time All-Southland Conference selection.

The tournament is set to begin tomorrow  at 4 p.m.

For more information, visit www.gobearkats.com.