La Crosse, WI - The Viterbo University volleyball team will open the 2008 season this week as they travel to Hawaii from August 17-August 24th.

The V-Hawks open their competition schedule on Monday night when the play against Chaminade University. The V-Hawks will then play on Wednesday night against Hawaii Pacific University and on Thursday against the University of Hawaii-BYU. All schools on the V-Hawks schedule are NCAA Division II schools and will provide a major challenge this early in the season.

"We are really looking forward to getting the 2008 season underway and there is no better way than to do it in Hawaii against three top notch volleyball programs," commented Head Coach Ryan DeLong. "We have had a great 10 days of preseason practice and the girls are very excited to be able to play against somebody else."

The V-Hawks are not only going over for the volleyball games but are also looking forward to the opportunity to build team chemistry as well as get a great educational experience. The V-Hawks will have the great opportunity to see Pearl Harbor, participate in a luau, hike Diamond Head, and of course spend time on the beach.

The V-Hawks return 11 players from last years team that finished 29-14 overall and 6-2 in Midwest Collegiate Conference play. The roster includes five returning starters as well as three all-conference players, Abby Breitung (Jr.-Tomah, WI), Missy Glenna (Sr.-Mabel, MN), and Heather Harelstad (Jr.-Chippewa Falls, WI). Coach DeLong feels that with the addition of seven new freshmen, the V-Hawks have the potential for another competitive season.

"I really like the way our team is shaping up so far as we have a great mixture of talented returning players as well as a quality freshman class," commented Coach DeLong. "Although I like our team a lot, we have a very tough schedule and the MCC will once again be a very competitive league where I feel four or five teams could really win the regular season title."

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