ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita volleyball team opens the 2025 season this weekend at the UT-Tyler Patriot Classic.

The Tigers are up against strong competition to start the year, including taking on seventh-ranked Central Oklahoma and the host UT-Tyler, which is receiving votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll.

First up is a match against UT-Dallas on Friday at 10 a.m., followed later with a 2 p.m. matchup against Mississippi College.

On Saturday, the Tigers take on the host at 11 a.m. and then finish with UCO at 3 p.m. Live stats and live video links for all four matches can be found at www.OBUtigers.com/coverage.

Ouachita's Allison Frizzell-Kizer is entering her eighth season as the head coach at her alma mater, fresh off leading the program to one of its most successful seasons ever. The 2024 squad finished 22-10, won the Great American Conference tournament championship, and advanced to the NCAA Division II tournament.

Coming back from that team is nearly everyone, 16 letterwinners to be exact, including All-GAC performers Courtney Hanson at setter, Emily Adams at right side, and Leah Gardner in the middle. Riley Braziel, who earned all-conference honors in each of her first two seasons, is back for her senior season at outside hitter.

The Tigers have eight seniors on the 2025 roster, including Braziel, Hanson, Adams, Haley Fairchild, Peyton Church, Emma Hill, Eryn Dawson, and Savannah Whitaker.

Following this weekend's tournament, the Tigers are back on the road Tuesday for a matchup against Texas A&M-Texarkana before coming back home to co-host the Tiger-Reddie Invitational September 11-13.