PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania volleyball team is ready to get into action, and the Quakers will dive right into the 2021 season by hosting the Sheraton University City Volleyball Invitational. Bucknell, Canisius and Coppin State will visit The Palestra for this weekend's six-match event, with two matches taking place Friday night and then four more happening throughout the day on Saturday.
 
FRIDAY
  Canisius vs. Coppin State, 4 p.m.
  Live Stats | Spectator COVID Attestation (starts midnight on 9/3)
 
  Penn vs. Bucknell, 7 p.m.
  Video Stream (ESPN+) | Live Stats | Spectator COVID Attestation (starts midnight on 9/3)
 
SATURDAY
  Penn vs. Canisius, 10 a.m.
  Video Stream (ESPN+) | Live Stats | Spectator COVID Attestation (starts midnight on 9/4)
 
  Bucknell vs. Canisius, 1 p.m.
  Live Stats | Spectator COVID Attestation (starts midnight on 9/4)
 
  Coppin State vs. Bucknell, 4 p.m.
  Live Stats | Spectator COVID Attestation (starts midnight on 9/4)
 
  Penn vs. Coppin State, 7 p.m.
  Video Stream (ESPN+) | Live Stats | Spectator COVID Attestation (starts midnight on 9/4)
 
Ivy League on ESPN
A reminder that the Ivy League is paired with ESPN and you will be able to find all Penn home games, as well as road Ivy matches and select non-conference road games, on ESPN+ this fall with the same high broadcast quality you've come to expect. ESPN+ is a subscription-based service that offers monthly and yearly packages. Click here to subscribe to ESPN+!
 
About Bucknell
The Bison opened the 2021 season at the Delaware State Invitational last weekend, going 2-1 with wins over St. Francis Brooklyn (3-2) and Saint Peter's (3-0) sandwiched around a loss to the host Hornets (3-0). Bucknell  
 
About Canisius
The Golden Griffins were at Michigan State last weekend for a tournament and got swept three times, by the host Spartans as well as Wright State and Western Michigan.
 
About Coppin State
The Eagles went 1-2 at the Bash at the Boro last weekend in Statesboro, Ga. CSU opened with a 3-0 win over Bethune-Cookman, but then took losses to host Georgia Southern (3-1) and Presbyterian (3-0).
 
Quaker Notemeal
*With the 2020 season canceled due to Ivy League regulations regarding the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, when Penn takes the court Friday night against Bucknell it will be the Quakers' first intercollegiate match since November 9, 2019—a span of 664 days.
 
*After being named Penn's head volleyball coach in March 2020—in the earliest days of the pandemic—Meredith Schamun finally gets to coach her team in intercollegiate competition for the first time this weekend.
 
*Earlier this week Penn announced its captains for the 2021 season; seniors Margaret Planek and Carmina Raquel and junior Autumn Leak will lead the Quakers this fall.
 
*Three of the five players who registered at least 100 kills in the 2019 season are back for 2021: Leak (200), Planek (187), and senior Daniela Fornaciari (135).
 
*Fornaciari also led Penn with eight block solos and 61 block assists. Planek had 44 block assists and Leak had 29 block assists.
 
*Raquel was Penn's libero in 2019 and led the Quakers with 356 digs, more than twice as many as any of her teammates. Planek (146) and junior Caroline Douglas (144) were third and fourth, respectively, in that category.
 
*Raquel also led the Red and Blue with 21 service aces in 2019, followed closely by Planek (20) and Douglas (18). Fornaciari had 12 aces that season.
 
*Senior Kylie Kulinski (244 assists) and junior Taylor Fourticq (134) are the top two returning setters from 2019.
 
*Penn has a perfect balance across its four classes, with each class boasting five members. However, what that means is that half of the team will be making their collegiate debut this weekend.