Volleyball Bulldogs Begin Two-A-Days At Newell-Grissom

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Though their season of competition is more than two weeks away, Mississippi State's youthful volleyball Bulldogs are currently engaged in perhaps the most important stage of the 2012 volleyball season.

Mississippi State has launched preseason drills at the Newell-Grissom Building and Wednesday conducted the first of eight days of two-a-day workouts.

"I am incredibly excited about getting started for the 2012 season," said Jenny Hazelwood, beginning her fifth season as State volleyball's head coach. "We have such a talented group this year, but with so much youth, we will spend some of the early practice days getting them acclimated to how we do things."

The Bulldogs' 38^th volleyball edition features a roster that includes a senior, two juniors, four sophomores and six freshmen.

"I believe this group with learn at a pretty fast pace, so I expect us to be able to advance to a higher level of work almost immediately," she added. "The players have such great excitement and eagerness to get in the gym and start practice. This is the most determined group I have coached and I believe we will see great things from them this season."

State will take a break from two-a-day workouts Saturday as volunteers for Mississippi State University's MVNU2MSU volunteer program, assisting new State students as they move in to their on-campus housing for the fall semester. MSU will wrap up two-a-days with a Maroon-White Saturday scrimmage August 18 (4 p.m.) and begin game-week routines with a Monday practice August 20. The Bulldogs open the 2012 campaign and a 13-match home schedule August 24-25, hosting Jackson State, Kennesaw State, and ULM in the two-day MSU Maroon Classic.

"We'll jam-pack a lot of volleyball during two-days," said Hazelwood. "I can't wait to see all that these girls can accomplish."