Three top 10 teams in two days. That's how Head Coach Micah Cewe's 2008 Ashford Univeristy volleyball team will start its season. Traveling to San Diego, California to participate in the Seaside Invitational, the Saints will be tested early and often as their season begins. 

Ashford will serve up the season on August 28 against San Diego Christian College, and from there on out the Saints will play three of their next four games at the Seaside Invitational against a trio of top 10 teams starting with Madonna College, a pre-season number 10, and Point Loma Nazarene University, a pre-season number eight on the same day. The second day will see the Saints play pre-season number nine College of Idaho.

           While the Saints will be playing some of the toughest competition in the nation, they have no delusions; as Cewe said, "We want to go out there and compete but there are really no outside expectations as we are a team that is entering the season unranked; we just need to go out there and play our game."

           Even though the Saints return all of their starters but from last year's Conference Tournament Runner-up team, they will have to contend with the addition of seven new faces on the team. Their travels to San Diego should aid in speeding up this process. Senior setter Kristin Orozco said it best: "Being on the court we'll have one demeanor, one that is all business and very serious. Off the court we're going to have a chance to get to know each other, share some laughs, and make some memories while building relationships that hopefully will translate to on court success."

           To prepare for this trip the Saints have taken on one of the most rigorous pre-season schedules to date for the program, participating in four practices a day in the 10 days leading up to their trip. During these 40 practices they have focused on speed and being in top shape entering the season. 

"Playing against this top competition we'll see a faster different style of play than we are used to in the MCC," said senior outside hitter Aubree Rhoades, "but with the leadership from the upperclassmen on and off the court, we should be able to build some relationships and be able to mesh."

           Heading out to San Diego Cewe said, "Playing three of the top 10 teams in the country we know that we're in for a challenge, but with all of the work we've put in during the pre-season we know that we'll have worked harder than any team that we take the floor against."