By Chris Kutz, K-State Athletics Communications
For the second straight season, K-State volleyball will play home matches inside Bramlage Coliseum when the Wildcats host the Varney’s Invitational September 4-5.
The two-day tournament in Bramlage will feature six matches with Cal, Green Bay and UNLV competing in addition to K-State. The Wildcats’ home opener will be against Green Bay at noon on September 4, following the tourney’s opening match between Cal and UNLV at 10 a.m. K-State’s other matches are set for 7:30 p.m. on September 4 against Cal and 1:30 p.m. on September 5 versus UNLV.
The pair of Session III matches on September 5, which includes Green Bay vs. Cal at 11 a.m., will feature free admission for all fans. Doors open at 10 a.m.
With K-State’s football home opener also set for 6:10 p.m., September 5, volleyball fans who do not have reserved football parking at Bill Snyder Family Stadium may park in Lot D-1 west of Memorial Stadium between Denison and Sunset streets and ride a shuttle to Bramlage Coliseum. Shuttles will run approximately every 20 minutes and end one hour after the conclusion of K-State’s match against UNLV.
“The weekends of both home football and volleyball competitions are a wonderful experience for our student-athletes and fans alike,” said K-State head coach Suzie Fritz. “Playing in Bramlage gives us an opportunity to share in the atmosphere and excitement of K-State football, as well as expose the Wildcat faithful to volleyball being played at a very high level. It will be a tremendously competitive weekend with high-level teams from all over the country.”
For Session I and II, tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for youth. Those with a ticket to the football game can receive a general admission ticket for just $3.
“We are very fortunate to enjoy a great deal of support in all of our sports,” added Fritz. “K-State fans are tremendous, and as always, we are looking forward to having them in Bramlage in full force to support their volleyball team.”
Chairback season ticket holders in Ahearn will have reserved chairback seating in Bramlage throughout the tournament while all other season ticket and general admission seating will be on the east side open areas or on the west side of the arena.
Last season, K-State hosted its annual home tournament in Bramlage, marking the first time the Wildcats played inside the arena for a regular season match since 2005. The Wildcats swept all three of the contests, beating Arkansas, Middle Tennessee and UCF.
All-time, the Wildcats have never dropped a set in Bramlage, going a perfect 7-0 in matches. In addition to last year’s tournament, K-State hosted the Wildcat Classic in Bramlage in 2003 and won its matches against South Florida, LSU and Colorado State. In 2005, K-State swept Big 12 counterpart Iowa State.
K-State has played all three of its Varney’s opponents over the last two seasons, trumping all three teams in their respective home venues. Last year, the Wildcats swept Green Bay, while in 2013, K-State used five sets to beat UNLV and then-No. 23 Cal.
The Varney’s Invitational will follow K-State’s season-opening trip to Coral Gables, Florida where the Wildcats will take part in the Hurricane Invitational hosted by Miami August 28-29. The season opener is against Florida A&M on August 28 at 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT.
The Wildcats return eight letterwinners from last year’s squad that registered 22 wins and reached the NCAA Tournament for the 15th time in program history. Fritz, the Wildcats’ all-time winningest coach, will have the likes of AVCA All-America Honorable Mentions and All-Big 12 performers Katie Brand and Kylee Zumach to help lead this year’s team, a group that also features junior starting libero Kersten Kober, AVCA All-Midwest Region Honorable Mention Katie Reininger and junior Brooke Sassin, who was second to Zumach on K-State last year in kills.
