South Carolina returns four starters and its starting libero from the 2011 team.
That 2011 team, the first coached by Scott Swanson, doubled the win total from the previous year.
The leading attacker by kills, junior outside hitter Juliette Thévenin, is back.
The top defender by digs, junior libero Paige Wheeler, returns.
A total of 97 percent of assists are back, along with setters senior Taylor Bruns and sophomore Lexie Pawlik.
The Gamecocks lost almost 50 percent of the team blocks from last season.
The next highest total of "lost" stats are kills, where 32.2 percent departed.
Last season, the Gamecocks led the SEC in digs per set. Only 12.2 percent of those departed.
Home Matches Notes
South Carolina is playing 17 matches plus one exhibition in the Volleyball Competition Facility this fall, the most since moving into the building in 1996.
It's one more than the inaugural season in the building, when SC hosted the 1996 SEC Tournament.
The most home matches ever for South Carolina came in 1990, when the team hosted 21 contests.
Attacking the Record Book
Juliette Thévenin starts 2012 in the top 10 in two categories at South Carolina: kills per set (3rd, 3.65) and digs per set (10th, 2.84).
Taylor Bruns is 10th in assists (1,905) and eighth in assists per set (6.93).
Paige Wheeler is fourth on SC's career charts in digs per set (3.37).
Historical Records
South Carolina is 706-536 (.568) all-time in volleyball.
In the Volleyball Competition Facility, the team stands at 137-70 (.662).
(Recent) Home Tournament History
South Carolina has hosted a home tournament every year since 2000 except for 2001 and 2005.
The Gamecocks have won four of the last five home non-conference events, only losing in 2010.
Roster Notes
Eight freshman, including seven true rookies, are a part of the 17-person roster.
Three players hail from each South Carolina and Texas, the most on the team.
A pair of student-athletes both hail from California and Maryland.
Six other states and another country are represented by the seven remaining athletes.
About Temple
Temple returns four starters and its libero from last year's 8-20 team, going 4-11 in the Atlantic 10.
Bakeer Gaines leads the squad for the second year.
Libero Chelsea Tupuola averaged 4.25 digs per set in 2011.
Tiffany Connatster is a sophomore setter who averaged 9.55 assists per set as a rookie.
Junior outside hitters Elyse Burkert and Gabriella Matautia averaged over 3.00 kills a set last season.
About Akron
Five starters return for the Zips, who posted a 4-25 record last year and a 1-15 mark in the MAC.
Ron Arenz is in his fifth year leading Akron's volleyball team.
Starting setter Morgan Kuhn returns for her senior season after posting 872 assists last year.
Senior middle blocker Paiton Twitty posted a team-best 85 blocks a year ago.
Three of the top four diggers return, including senior Chelsea Harvey and junior Jill Paluch.
The top attacker for the Zips in 2011, Courtney Jarvis (3.33 kps, 2.13 dps), will have to be replaced.
About East Tennessee State
Four starters return for the Bucs and 10th-year head coach Lindsey Devine.
East Tennessee State went 14-16 last season, including a 7-6 mark in the Atlantic Sun.
Top attacker Megan Devine returns for her junior season after averaging 4.16 kills per set last year.
Sophomore Meredith Hardy averaged 0.84 blocks per set, second on the 2011 Buccaneers.
Setter Jamie Rutledge returns after posting a 9.36 assists average as a junior.
The Bucs lost libero Kiley Tamblyn, who made 4.11 digs per set last year.
About UNC Asheville
Frederico Santos brings his Bulldogs back to Columbia for the second consecutive year.
Five starters are back from last year's 15-14 team, which included a 7-7 mark in Big South play.
The two departing starters were leading attacker Cindi Miller and starting setter Hallie Morse.
Anna Moore is back after leading the Bulldogs with 0.81 blocks per set.
Three attackers (Moore, Holly Shelton, Meredith Foster) that return averaged between 2.57 and 2.24 kills per set.
Returning libero Alex Stewart averaged 4.35 digs per set as a sophomore.
