WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears will open their 2019 season as one of four teams competing in the 2019 Georgetown Classic in Washington D.C. this weekend. The trip out East will mark the first time Central Arkansas has competed at Georgetown University in program history. The season will officially begin against the Rider Broncs at 10 a.m. on Friday morning, followed by a date with the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils at 4 p.m. The Sugar Bears will conclude tournament play on Saturday with a doubleheader against the Sacred Heart Pioneers at 12 p.m. and host Georgetown Hoyas at 6 p.m.
 
The coaching staff will get their first look at the newly-pieced Sugar Bear roster as four team-leading hitters graduated last May and five freshmen were brought in. The team will be led by its trio of seniors, including preseason all-conference setter Elizabeth Armstrong.
 
MEET THE RIDER BRONCS
 The Rider Broncs reside in Lawrenceville, New Jersey and were picked sixth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Coaches Poll on August 20. Senior captain and libero Rachelle Runyon was named to the Preseason All-MAAC team after leading the conference in digs with 574 and finishing second in digs per set with 4.95 in 2018. The Broncs are coming off a 19-11 year that ended in the MAAC Tournament Semifinals and saw three seniors graduate. Like Central Arkansas, Rider will look to be led by its trio of seniors in 2019.
 
MEET THE CENTRAL CONNETICUT BLUE DEVILS
 The CCSU Blue Devils reside in New Britain, Connecticut and were picked third in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll on August 15. The Blue Devils finished right at .500 in 2018 at 13-13 but had a strong showing in conference play with a 10-4 record. Central Arkansas will get a long look at reigning Northeast Conference Player of the Year and Eastern College Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year senior Madelyn Kaprelyan on Friday evening. Kaprelyan ranked third in conference in hitting percentage with .293, fifth in kills per set with 3.24 and recorded nine double-doubles in 2018. Like Central Arkansas a year ago, the Blue Devils will rely on their five seniors in 2019.
 
MEET THE SACRED HEART PIONEERS
 The Sacred Heart Pioneers reside in Fairfield, Connecticut and were picked first in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll on August 15, two spots ahead of the Blue Devils. The Pioneers were respected around the conference after appearing in the NEC Championship in 2018 for the second time in three years, recording a 17-10 record and nine wins in conference play. The roster is headlined by reigning NEC Setter and Rookie of the Year Sarah Ciszek and All-NEC First Team honoree Liisel Nelis. Ciszek shined during her freshman year, leading the NEC with 932 assists and a league-high 9.41 assists per set average. Her numbers landed her on the All-NEC First Team with Nelis. Nelis led her conference with 3.83 kills per set and finished second in kills with 379. The Pioneers match will present a good test for the Sugar Bears on Saturday afternoon.
 
MEET THE GEORGETOWN HOYAS
 The Georgetown Hoyas reside in the nation's capital and were picked sixth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll on August 1. The Hoyas are coming off a 2018 season that saw the program's most wins (17) since 2004 (16). Even with the most wins in well over a decade, the Hoyas fell short of the conference tournament with 10 conference wins. The Hoyas lost two key starters to graduation day in 2018 as All-BIG EAST recipients Symone Speech and Alyssa Sinnette were the first duo to earn multiple All-BIG EAST nods since 2002. Senior outside hitter Iva Vujosevic will look to pick up the baton left by the two graduates and help carry her team to even more success in 2019. Vulosevic shined during her junior year, finishing second on the team in kills and kills per set with 315 and 3.21.
 
ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH JOHN NEWBERRY ON THE GEORGETOWN CLASSIC
 "With the season opener finally here, we've been asking ourselves, 'how good are we really against someone else?' We expect our team to get through that initial adrenaline rush quickly for that first game so we can steady out and play our game. All the teams for our first road trip are highly respected within their conference. Every team will be tough and this is exactly the challenge we need to have a successful season."
 
KEEP UP WITH THE SUGAR BEARS
 You can follow all four of the Sugar Bear matches this weekend via live stats linked for each match here. The Saturday night match against the Hoyas will be the only match televised and will require a payment before viewing. For live updates, follow the Sugar Bears on Twitter @ucavball.