HARROGATE, Tenn. -- The Lincoln Memorial University men's volleyball program kicks off its inaugural season this weekend with road matches at North Greenville and Emmanuel. The Railsplitters square off in the program-opener against the North Greenville Crusaders in Tigerville, S.C. at 7 p.m. on Friday before heading over to Franklin Springs, Ga. to face the Emmanuel Lions at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
 
Schedule/Game Day Links
 
Friday, January 6 at North Greenville (7pm) - Live Stats/Video
Saturday, January 7 at Emmanuel (11am)
 
Notes on the Railsplitters:
 
-Lincoln Memorial is being led into its first season of existence by head coach Dan Danis. Danis - a Knoxville, Tenn. native who grew up in Las Vegas, Nev. - was formerly the head coach of the K2 16 Elite club in Knoxville, who was ranked fifth out of 2,200 club teams in the nation at the time of his appointment.
 
-The Railsplitters are scheduled for 28 regular-season matches, with 14 of those set to be hosted at Mary Mars Gymnasium. Lincoln Memorial opens the season with four consecutive true road tests, following up this weekend's twinbill with trips to King and Lees-McRae before making their home debut on January 14 against Alderson-Broaddus.
 
-Lincoln Memorial's first men's volleyball roster is comprised of nine players. Five of those nine are true freshmen, but the Railsplitters have a bit of experience in junior outside hitter Joshua Riblett (Torrence, Calif.), junior outside hitter Jordan Walley (Yucaipa, Calif.) and graduate student Marcus Molina (Newport Beach, Calif.).
 
-The men's volleyball program is the 21st sport at Lincoln Memorial University. The Railsplitters will compete independently in their first season with hopes of gaining admission into a conference in 2018. The 2017 season will culminate with the IVA Tournament April 7-9 in Hartsville, S.C.
 
-A complete preview of the 2017 campaign featuring a positional breakdown, quotes from Coach Danis and more can be read here.
 
Notes on North Greenville:
 
-The Crusaders went 11-14 last season with a 7-11 mark in Conference Carolinas play. North Greenville really struggled down the stretch of the 2016 campaign, though, dropping eight of its last nine matches.
 
-North Greenville lost its two leading hitters off of last season's team in Jon Childes and Luuga Vailu'U, who averaged 2.73 and 2.34 kills per set, respectively. However, Matthew McManaway and Connor Rhine are back for the Crusaders after combining for 273 kills last season. McManaway accounted for 1.82 per set on a .332 attack percentage, while Rhine averaged 1.71 on a .154 clip.
 
-The Crusaders also return their two leading setters from last season in Alexander Schinzing and Grayson Lawrence. Schinzing accounted for 9.56 assists per set - the seventh-most in Conference Carolinas - to go along with 1.18 digs per frame, while Lawrence was responsible for 2.26 assists per set.
 
-North Greenville was picked to finish seventh out of nine teams in the Conference Carolinas preseason coaches poll.
 
-Along with the aforementioned McManaway and Schinzing, sophomore opposite hitter Aaron Campbell, freshman middle hitter Ben Hamsho and junior libero Dustin King were named Conference Carolinas Men's Volleyball Players to Watch.
 
Notes on Emmanuel:
 
-The Lions started slow in 2016, winning just four of their first 13 matches. However, Emmanuel finished strong with wins in seven of its last 11 outings to round out the season with an 11-13 record. That included three three-set wins during that closing stretch.
 
-The Lions' offensive attack will look totally different this season, as Emmanuel lost four of its top-five hitters off of the 2016 squad. Alex Barbosa was the biggest loss as he led the Lions last season with 321 kills and 3.53 per set. Sophomore Gilberto Cervantes is the top returning hitter after putting up 153 kills and 2.10 per set last season on a .145 attack percentage.
 
-Emmanuel does return setter Caleb Bonaventure, who led the Lions in assists last season as a freshman with 840 total and 9.66 per set. He was the lone Emmanuel player to be tabbed as a Conference Carolinas Men's Volleyball Player to Watch.
 
-The Lions are under the direction of first-year head coach Chad Nelson, who spent last season as the program's assistant coach.
 
-The Railsplitters are part of a Saturday doubleheader for Emmanuel, who plays Rust College shortly after finishing up with Lincoln Memorial.