Warriors Weekly: Stanislaus hosts eight-team volleyball tournament starting Thursday

Eight college volleyball teams will converge at Stanislaus State this week for the NorCal Volleyball Classic at the Fitzpatrick Arena in Turlock.

The Warriors, led in part by Pitman High School graduate Yisel Perez, will play in four matches, including their tournament opener on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Antelope Valley.

Other teams playing include Chico State, Sonoma State, Humbolt State, Georgia College, Academy of Art and Notre Dame de Namur.

The early start to the season was a result of the NCAA moving up its NCAA Division II Tournament to late November.

Coach Mallori Gibson-Rossi is hoping for a rebound of last year’s 3-23 season. Part of the rebuilding includes incoming junior Kaylene Ureno, another Pitman High graduate. Ureno returns home after a stellar career at Santa Barbara City College, where she was an All-State pick after putting away 324 kills for a 3.34 kills per set average in 2017.

LOCALS HIGHLIGHT SOCCER TEAMS — The Warrior soccer teams, which don’t get started until later this month, are loaded with local Stanislaus District talent.

On the women’s side, the Modesto-area is represented by Haley Crook (Davis), Mayah Chambers (Enochs), Kinsey Pettigrew-Taa (Hilmar), and Natalie Larson (Turlock). Also returning is 2016 CCAA Freshman of the Year Rayana Plancarte (Pitman).

On the men’s side, Fermin Chaidez (Davis), Bradlee Taylor (Pitman HS), Desmond Madrigal (Turlock) and Esteban Hernandez (Gregori HS) are the key returners.

The women scrimmage Friday at home against Sonoma State before their season-opener at Warrior Field on Aug. 30 against Notre Dame de Namur. The men, meanwhile, open the season Aug. 30 against Dominican in Arcata.

THIS AND THAT — Darren Holman’s second year as cross country coach already is huge — as in squad size. For the first time in program history, Stan State will field nearly 50 runners combined on the men’s and women’s teams. The second annual Kim Duyst Cross Country Invitational is scheduled for Sept. 8 at River Oaks Golf Course in Ceres. ... Staff Duy “Yee” Tran was named men’s basketball assistant coach last week to serve under head coach Paul Trevor. This will be Trevor’s second season at the helm, his first without Larry Reynolds, who retired in June. Tran is an accomplished coach at the junior college level after 15 years at Orange Coast College. OCC is coming off a 22-8, 11-1 season and advanced to the Elite Eight for the State Championships.