GUNNISON, Colo. – Topeka, Kansas awaits Western State Colorado University this weekend. The Mountaineers open the season with four matches in two days at the Capital Plaza Invitational on the campus of Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.
 
Western opens the season and the tournament against Pittsburg State University on Friday, Sept. 1 at 10 a.m. (MT) on court two. The Mountaineers will return to court two at 4 p.m. (MT) later that night to face Drury University.
 
On Saturday, Western will face the tournament hosts, No. 16 Washburn University, at 10 a.m. (MT) on court one. The Mountaineers conclude the tournament later in the day, facing Emporia State University on court one at 2:30 p.m. (MT).
 
Last season, the Mountaineers finished in a tie for eighth place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings with a 14-12 record and 10-8 conference record. It was the first winning season Western has recorded in conference and overall play since 2006. The Mountaineers just missed the conference playoffs, tying for the final playoff spot but losing in a tie breaker to Colorado State University – Pueblo.
 
In the Preseason RMAC Coaches Poll, the Mountaineers were picked to finish ninth in the conference.
 
Western is 8-28 in season openers, but won last year's season opener against St. Cloud State University in three sets.
 
The Mountaineers' first opponent, PSU, finished 10^th in the Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) standings last season with a 4-14 conference record and a 6-24 overall record. The Gorilla's are picked to finish 10^th in the MIAA this season in the Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
DU finished last season fourth in the West Division of the Great Lakes Valley Conference with a 21-11 overall record and an 11-7 conference record. Drury was picked to finish third in the West Division this season. DU will face Emporia State University in their first match of the season at 12 p.m. (MT) earlier that day.
 
Washburn enters their tournament ranked 16^th in the Preseason American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll. Last season, WU finished second in the MIAA standings with a 28-6 overall record and a 16-2 conference record. This year, WU was picked to finish third in the 2017 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. Washburn will face Arkansas Tech University and East Central University on Friday before they face the Mountaineers on Saturday.
 
Western's final opponent of the Capital Plaza Invitational tournament is Emporia State University. ESU finished eighth in the MIAA standings last season with a conference record of 7-11 and an overall record of 15-18. ESU was picked to finish eighth again this season in the 2017 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. ESU will face Drury, Arkansas Tech and the University of Missouri St. Louis before facing Western.
 
Fans unable to make the trip to Topeka, Kansas this weekend can still follow the Mountaineers live online (Friday live stats, Saturday live stats) and on social media (@WSCUVolleyball, @WSCUMountaineer).