INDIANAPOLIS – IUPUI fans will get their first opportunity to see the 2015 edition of the IUPUI volleyball team when the Jags host their annual Alumni Game on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 5 p.m. at The Jungle.
 
Eleven alumni will be making their way back on to campus this weekend, including recent graduate and 2013 and 2014 Summit League Defensive Player of the Year, Beth Howard. Joining Howard on the Alumni Team will be Kelsey Hoefer, Bri Hewitt, Katie Hahn, Danielle (Goodnight) English, Monica (Suding) Balash, Tiffany (Holladay) Buesching, Sara (Sparks) McQueen, Rachel Holmes, Rebekah (Pallikan) O'Brien and Pandy (Long) Sinish.
 
"Every year we have a large group of alumni that come back for this event and it is great for our team," head coach Steve Payne said. "Our alumni have some great experiences that they get to share with our current team and it is a great way to start our season."
 
IUPUI has won three consecutive Summit League regular-season titles and earned its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2013 by winning the Summit League Tournament on its home floor, but the bid for back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances fell short last season when Denver defeated IUPUI in the Summit League Tournament Championship.  
 
Eleven members from last year's 20-win squad are back in 2015 highlighted by seniors Kaitlyn Hickey and Kelly Wachtel. Hickey is a three-time All-Summit League performer, she was the 2012 Summit League Freshman of the Year and a 2014 AVCA Honorable-Mention All-America selection. Known as one of the top all-around players in the conference, Hickey has already accumulated over 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her career.
 
Wachtel was an All-Summit League selection as a junior ranking second on the team in kills while leading the way in hitting percentage. In each of her first three seasons, Wachtel's kills have gone up from the previous season and her production gives the Jaguars an experienced offensive attack.
 
In addition to Hickey and Wachtel, three other starters from last season return in Logan Walling, Alexis Mapes and Gabby Fisher. Walling has been the Jaguars top blocker in each of the past two seasons and both Fisher and Mapes gained valuable experience with each playing in all 33 matches a year ago. In her first season as the setter, Mapes averaged 8.01 aps, while Fisher finished with 1.06 kps and 0.68 bps en route to earning Summit League All-Freshman Team honors.
 
Joining the 11 returners will be four true freshmen in Hannah Ballard, Abby Boatman, Sierra Kepski and Elizabeth Scott.
 
Payne, who enters his 19th season as the leader of the volleyball team, is the reigning three-time Summit League Coach of the Year. He is the all-time winningest coach in Summit League history and his four Coach of the Year honors are the most in conference history.
 
Fans should note that construction is ongoing around The Jungle on the IUPUI campus.