CULLOWHEE, N.C. – With the 2021 season opener fast approaching, the Western Carolina volleyball team welcomes Presbyterian College to Cullowhee on Friday at 4 p.m. for an exhibition contest.

Friday's match will be held in the Ramsey Center Auxiliary Gym with limited seating available to the public. Following the Catamounts Care initiative and University standards, face coverings are required in all public indoor spaces. Live stats for the match will be available via a link on catamountsports.com.

Senior Merry Gebel was named to the preseason All-Southern Conference team as the league announced its preseason honors on Wednesday afternoon. After finishing in third place in the 2020-21 campaign, WCU was predicted to finish in fourth place in the coaches' poll.

Presbyterian College was picked to finish in eighth place out of 11 teams in the Big South Conference preseason poll. During 2020-21, the Blue Hose went 3-13 playing a conference-only schedule.

WCU kicks off the 2021 season at the Wildcat Classic in Davidson, N.C. on Aug. 27-28. The Catamounts face mountain rival UNC Asheville at 4 p.m. on Aug. 27 to open the season before facing NC Central at 10 a.m. and Davidson at 6 p.m. on Aug. 28.

Keep track of everything related to Catamount volleyball and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts, @catamountvb), and Twitter (@catamounts, @catamountvb)