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Jonathan Bates | Associate Editor
Off the Block was informed by Emmanuel men’s volleyball head coach James Friddle the Lions will start their 2020 campaign with three matches in Manoa. Emmanuel will played host Hawai’i on the first night and then Harvard and Grand Canyon on subsequent nights.
Emmanuel will also play in two more tournaments in March – in Harrogate, Tennessee and in Chicago, Illinois. The Lions will play the host, Lincoln Memorial, as well as Alderson Broaddus in the tournament in Harrogate, while playing Princeton, and host, Loyola, in the tournament in Chicago.
Emmanuel will also host a couple of NAIA schools in late March – St. Andrews and Webber International.
Besides playing the national runner-up on their home court, Emmanuel will play reigning EIVA and ConfCarolinas champions, as well as the 2018 EIVA and ConfCarolinas champions.
The Lions return five players from last year’s team – libero Mateus Bade, outside attacker Aleksa Lakic, libero/outside attacker Ray Peterson, middle attacker Don Thompson, and opposite Alex Zayas.
Thompson led the 2019 team in most statistical categories including kills per game, attack percentage, and total blocks. Lakic led the 2019 with 0.27 aces per game, while tying for the team high with 113 games played and 29 matches played.
The Lions’ 9.32 digs per game ranked ninth nationally last year.
In addition to brining six freshman players, head coach James Friddle hired Andrew McAllister as an assistant coach. McAllister most recently was the assistant women’s volleyball coach and head women’s JV coach at Montreat College. McAllister has also been a member of USA Volleyball since 2008, currently serving as a USA Volleyball High Performance National Team coach.
Emmanuel 2020 schedule
Thursday, Jan. 9 at Hawai’i
Friday, Jan. 10 vs. Harvard (neutral site)
Saturday, Jan. 11 vs. Grand Canyon (neutral site)
Tuesday, Jan. 21 at North Greenville
Friday, Jan. 24 vs. Barton
Saturday, Jan. 25 vs. Mount Olive
Friday, Jan. 31 vs. Limestone
Friday, Feb. 7 at King
Saturday, Feb. 8 at Lees-McRae
Friday, Feb. 14 at Belmont-Abbey
Tuesday, Feb. 18 vs. Erskine
Saturday, Feb. 22 vs. Lincoln Memorial
Wednesday, Feb. 26 vs. North Greenville
Tuesday, March 10 at Lincoln Memorial
Wednesday, March 11 vs. Alderson Broaddus (neutral site)
Friday, March 13 at Barton
Saturday, March 14 at Mount Olive
Tuesday, March 17 at Limestone
Saturday, March 21 vs. Princeton (neutral site)
Sunday, March 22 at Loyola
Tuesday, March 24 vs. St. Andrews
Wednesday, March 25 vs. Webber International
Friday, March 27 vs. King
Saturday, March 28 vs. Lees-McRae
Friday, April 3 vs. Belmont-Abbey
Tuesday, April 7 at Erskine