HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana University opens its 39th season of intercollegiate volleyball Friday with a pair of contests at the ISTAP Collegiate Cup in Montgomery, Ala.

The Lady Lions face host Alabama State (15-20 in 2011) at 1 p.m. and Ohio Valley Conference-member Jacksonville State (11-20 in 2011) at 5 p.m. Live statistics for both matches will be available, courtesy Alabama State, at LionSports.net.

Southeastern returns its top offensive player, Courtney Donald (2.22 kills per set), starting setter Lindsey Young (7.74 assists per set) and top defender, Megan McMillin (3.53 digs per set), off a squad that finished 5-28 in 2011.

Second-year head coach Geno Frugoli brought seven newcomers into the mix, including McNeese State-transfer Becky Bekelja. The senior from League City, Texas, will challenge Young for starting time and provides Frugoli with multiple options to run the offense.

“This tournament is important for us,” Frugoli said. “We want to do well so we can start the season on a positive note and gear up for the home opener.”

Alabama State, a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, features a young squad with 13 underclassmen. The Lady Hornets top returning offensive player is sophomore Erika Thompson (1.20 k/set), just one of three returning players off a squad that finished third in the SWAC's Eastern Division last season.

Jacksonville State returns nine players, including four starters, off the 2011 team. The Gamecocks' top returning offensive player is senior Hivya Leite (2.60 k/set). Senior Kelsey Anderson, a transfer from Alabama, is seventh on the Crimson Tide's career digs list and should see significant time on the back row.

The Lady Lions face a pair of matches Saturday in the tournament, Tennessee State (18-11 in 2011) and South Dakota (14-18 in 2011), before Tuesday's 7 p.m. home opener against Grambling State in the University Center.