Second-year coach Callie Tabisz and her Lee volleyball team will face some of the best competition in NCAA D2 over the next two weekends. It begins on Friday (Aug. 26) in Charlotte, North Carolina where the Lady Flames open play in the Queens University Classic against North Greenville (S.C.) at 10 a.m. After a short break (4 p.m.), Coach Tabisz's team will face Wingate University (S.C.) a club picked to win the South Atlantic Conference title for the 17^th consecutive year. Play continues Saturday morning (Aug. 27) at 10 a.m. when the Lady Flames take the court against West Virginia Wesleyan before going against the defending D2 National Champions Tampa University at 6 p.m. 
  
Coach Tabisz did not back away from quality teams when she made out the schedule for her own Lee University Invitational on Sept. 2-3. Washburn University (Kansas) was runner-up to Tampa in the D2 National Tournament last year and is slated to battle the Lady Flames in the Invitational opener on Friday at 12:45 p.m. Lee returns to the Sport Court the same afternoon and tests a Sunshine State foe in Saint Leo at 6:30. On Saturday, Lee is pitted against Erskine College (S.C.) at 3:15 p.m. and old rival Trevecca University at 7. 
  
"Yes! We are very excited to have the Lee Invitational back in Walker Arena this season. We have some of the top teams in the country headed to Cleveland Friday and Saturday. We can't wait to have our fans back in the stands cheering on their Lady Flames!" said the coach. 
  
"I am very pleased with the progress this team has made over the past two weeks," said Coach Tabisz before boarding the bus and heading for North Carolina. "Connections in our offensive systems, new blocking techniques, and just our overall athleticism has improved. I saw these systems grow in all three of our scrimmages, so I am excited to see them against some of the top competition in the country. We have had no key injuries at this time. We have a full team that is ready to go and in action!" 
  
The coach feels her young team is better than the ninth preseason slot voted on by the league coaches. She joined with her staff and enjoyed recruiting success during the spring and summer months. "Grace Mazzocca (6-foot-1, freshman) has been a huge impact player for our team in the middle this preseason. I am excited to see her grow throughout this season. She has a very high ceiling on the offensive and defensive side. Clarissa Soza (freshman, setter) has also shown huge improvement this preseason in her connections with our attackers and is an impressive, gritty defender. Allie Whittinghill (junior, outside hitter) is a returner who has shown growth on the pins this preseason with her competitive drive and her vocal leadership."