Skylights begin season with Big Sky Challenge

The wait is finally over. Sports at Montana State University-Northern are back, starting with the MSU-N volleyball team's season debut this weekend in Butte.

The Skylights, of head coach Jerry Wagner, make their 2023 debut at the Big Sky Challenge where they will face The Evergreen State College Thursday, Eastern Oregon Friday and the College of Idaho Saturday. All three teams will be tough opponents from the Cascade Conference.

Northern plans to be tough, as well, after struggling a bit last season. The Skylights, however, return key starters like All-Conference middle blocker Alana Graves, setter Emily Feller and outside hitter, former Havre Blue Pony Jessa Chvilicek. Also back is outside hitter Alyssa Pretty Weasel, who had a breakout campaign for the Skylights a year ago. Transfer Greta Peterson should have a big impact on the Skylights as well, while senior lDS Hailie George and libber Baily Egan should play key roles in Northern's success, as well.

The Skylights have a busy preseason, as they square off not only at the Big Sky Challenge, but also the Arizona Christian Tournament next weekend, and Frontier-North Star Challenge Sept. 8-9 in Valley City, North Dakota. Northern closes out non-conference play with the Frontier Preseason Tournament Sept. 15-16 in Dillon, before opening league play Sept. 22 against Montana Western in the Armory Gymnasium.