PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland – The University of Maryland Eastern Shore starts the 2022 home season on Friday (September 2) as Hawk volleyball host the annual Henson Hawk Invitational. This year, the program has invited longtime rival Hampton University and Manhattan College with its new head coach to the Eastern Shore for a weekend on the court.
 
Game one of the tournament will have the Hawks and Pirates facing off at 6 p.m., with game two going between the visitors at 10 a.m. on Saturday (September 3), and Hawks-Jaspers closing it out at 3 p.m. the same day.
 
Last Time Out
 
The Hawks enter the weekend with a 1-2 record after playing in the Bearcat Classic this past weekend at Binghamton University, falling 2-3 to the hosts and 1-3 to Boston College but sweeping Siena College in three straight sets.
 
"We showed that we can really play some good volleyball," head coach Trevor Callarman said. "It was a tough schedule for us with the late match against the home team, that going five sets and a lot of energy there, the quick turnaround and then a Power 5 team after that, it was a tough schedule, but we performed well."
 
The fifth set loss will be a nice lesson for the Hawks going later in the season, as will the match against Boston College, with both being tournament like environments much like the Hawks hope to find themselves in.
 
"We showed that we can start getting the ball rolling because we hope we get the opportunity to play a Power 5 at the NCAA Tournament," Callarman said. "Getting a look at them early in the season gives us an idea of what that level could look like."
 
In the tournament, setter Sophia Chacon was named to the All-Tournament Team for her outstanding efforts on the court where she racked up 67 assists to lead the Hawks and was second in digs with 23.
 
During training this week, the Hawks worked on sticking to who they are as a team and progressing with what worked during the Bearcat Classic. Keeping standard and not slipping from training will be key to getting out of the weekend with two wins.
 
Learn more about day one of the Bearcat Classic here and day two here.
 
Hawks Hunting Hampton
 
Outside of current MEAC opponents, there are few programs the Hawks know better than the Hampton University Pirates, a former member of the conference. Despite leaving the conference in 2018, the Pirates and Hawks have maintained a friendly rivalry since, playing every season aside from 2020 when both programs sat out the season due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
Last time out, the Hawks took down Hampton in three straight sets at the 2021 Henson Hawk Invitational and UMES holding a 29-8 record against the visitors since 2003. Since 2015, Hampton has beaten the Hawks just once, in 2019 at the Hytche in five sets.
 
"It's a program that we have a history with, obviously with them being in the MEAC and then leaving the MEAC," Callarman said. "We never really lost the ties or the friendly rivalry – the coaches are friends, and the players have connections on the benches as well – those matches are always fun because of that."
 
Hampton will be led by a pair of outside hitter graduate students in Clara Smith and Gabby Calloway, both who racked up over 200 kills in 2021. The Pirates are reloading though, after losing their top libero in Jessica Pugh and setter Brooke Irvin.
 
With it being the first game at the Hytche this season, Callarman is hoping for the electricity in the Hytche to bring some extra help to the Hawks game.
 
"We're happy to have it here at our home gym where we get that little extra edge of the crowd behind us which plays up to our strengths," Callarman said. "We have some good crowd performers, and we have some people that play well whenever there's a lot of energy in the gym so I think that it'll be a good place to play Hampton."
 
Overall Hampton went 3-20 (2-14 Big South) in 2021 and moved to the Colonial Athletic Conference in 2022 where they were chosen to finish ninth in their preseason poll.
 
The Manhattan Mystery
 
Not much is known about this 2022 Manhattan squad after turnover with the coaching staff as new head coach Mauro Miletic's hiring was not announced until August 1 and the first game against Delaware State this week was cancelled. Thanks to the mystery, the Hawks see the game as solid mental work for the players and a fun coaching challenge for the staff.
 
"New coach this year (so) I expect them to have a bit of a chip on their shoulder because they have a lot to prove this year," Callarman said. "I hope it's a really fun back and forth match."
 
Meeting just three times since 2013, the Hawks hold the slight 2-1 overall edge over the Jaspers overall and hold the last win, a 3-0 sweep in August 2021 at the Farleigh Dickinson Tournament. The unfamiliarity will give the Hawks a lot of flexibility, as long as they stick to their own game.
 
"I'm going in with a little bit of a blank canvas," Callarman said. "They haven't played at all this year, so their first match will be with Hampton here and what that means for us is just maintaining our own standard."
 
It's not just turnover on the bench for the Jaspers in 2022, with Manhattan losing several of their top players due to graduation and will enter the season rostering just nine student-athletes. Outside hitter/setter Kelly Markowski is the top returner after finishing second on the team with 127 kills, but the Jaspers do not return a single statistical leader from last season.
 
"If we play our game, we should feel comfortable there which should be a good challenge," Callarman said. "It almost simulates later in conference, and somebody changes the lineup on you."
 
Overall Manhattan went 2-20 (2-16 MAAC) and was voted to finish ninth in the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason poll.
 
Tournament Info
 
Game Schedule
 
Friday, September 2, 6 p.m.: Hampton University at University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Saturday, September 3, 10 a.m.: Hampton University vs Manhattan College
Saturday, September 3, 3 p.m.: Manhattan College at University of Maryland Eastern Shore
 
Admission is free for those to attend, with Live Stats being available on www.easternshorehawks.com for those to track the action at home.
 
Follow the action on Twitter via @ESHawksVBall.