THIS WEEKEND: Miami returns home to host the Best Western Invitational this weekend. The RedHawks entertain Marshall in their home opener at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2, and return to the court on Saturday, Sept. 3 to host Bellarmine at 1 p.m. and Middle Tennessee at 7 p.m. All Miami matches will be aired on ESPN+.

ABOUT MARSHALL & SERIES WITH THE THUNDERING HERD: Marshall enters the weekend with a 1-2 record after hosting a tournament last weekend. The RedHawks are 14-7 against the Thundering Herd but have lost the last three matches to Marshall, including a five-set decision at the Marshall's Invitational on Aug. 28 last year. The RedHawks' last win in the series was on Aug. 29, 2005 in Oxford, 3-0. Miami is 7-2 against Marshall in Oxford.

ABOUT BELLARMINE & THE SERIES WITH THE KNIGHTS: Bellarmine touts a 2-1 record having won its last two matches at the St. Francis Tournament last weekend. The RedHawks are 2-0 against the Knights. Miami captured the last meeting 3-0 on Sept. 3, 1983. This is Bellarmine's first trip to Oxford. 

ABOUT MIDDLE TENNESSEE & THE SERIES WITH THE BLUE RAIDERS: Led by former Miami Volleyball assistant coach and '01 alumnus head coach Chuck Crawford, Middle Tennessee is 2-1 to start the season, winning its last two matches at the Sacramento State Tournament last weekend. This is just the third meeting between the teams and Middle Tennessee's first trip to Oxford with the Blue Raiders holding a 2-0 lead in the series. The last time the teams met was on Dec. 5, 2008 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Purdue with Middle Tennessee edging Miami, 3-2.

TELEVISION: All three of Miami's matches during the Miami/Best Western Invitational will be aired on ESPN+ with Randy Hollowell and Jennie Gilbert calling the action. Non-Miami matches during the tournament will be on MiamiRedHawks.com (a subscription is required).

UP NEXT: Miami hits the road for the Chattanooga Tournament Sept. 9-10. On Friday, Sept. 9, MU faces Southern Indiana at 1 p.m. and has a quick turnaround to face Duquesne at 5 p.m. Miami battles host Chattanooga at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10.

20/20 VISION: In its win at Bradley on Aug. 27, the RedHawks had two players eclipse the 20-kill plateau. Senior Allyson Severance amassed a career-high 22 kills, surpassing her previous career high by eight kills, while freshman Ellie Hanson notched 21 kills for the RedHawks. 

DOUBLE TIME: Three RedHawks posted double-doubles last week with junior Abby Stratford notching 14 kills and 10 digs against Kansas City, while senior Allyson Severance recorded 22 kills and 12 digs and freshman Ellie Hanson posted 21 kills and 14 digs against Bradley.

ODDS 'N ENDS:

• Miami served up 23 aces during its opening weekend at the Bradley Invitational. The RedHawks rank third in service ace among MAC leaders (1.77/set).
• Two freshmen rank among MAC statistical leaders after the first weekend of competition. Hayden Hicks ranks eight in assists (7.46/set), while Gentry Warrick ties for 10th in service aces (0.54/set). Hicks notched 48 assists against Bradley, while Warrick served up three aces against Kansas City and also against Bradley.
• Freshman Brooke Jackson was named to the Bradley Invitational All-Tournament Team. 

ECLIPSING 750 CAREER WINS: With a 3-0 win versus Buffalo on Jan. 22, 2021, Miami head coach Carolyn Condit posted her 750th career win. Condit owns a 770-589 career record in her 43rd season as a head coach. Condit's 769 total victories are tied for eighth among active NCAA Division I coaches, and tied for 23rd all-time. Owning more victories than any coach in any sport in the history of Miami's storied athletic department, known as the Cradle of Coaches, Condit holds a 671-511 record and is in her 39th season in charge of the Red and White. Condit is the only volleyball coach in the history of the Mid-American Conference to win more than 300 league matches, holding a conference mark of 373-231.