By Brandon Warr, Athletics Communications Specialist
Special from UTPB
Heading into the 2023 fall volleyball season, UT Permian Basin had two athletes make it on the Lone Star Conference preseason players to watch list. As a team, the Falcons were projected to finish 13th in the conference, receiving 264 total points.
Middle Hitter, Chyra Thompson spent the 2022 volleyball season as a member of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, playing in 62 sets over 20 matches. She was third on team in blocks with 43, totaled 126 kills on a .284 attack percentage and recorded a career-high 17 kills on a .400 attack percentage against Lubbock Christian. She also had four matches with five or more blocks, her best being six blocks at Ouachita Baptist.
“It feels great to be a Falcon. I love it here. I’m really excited about the season, but it feels great to be a Falcon,” said Thompson. “I’m hoping we can win a conference championship this season.”
Similar to Thompson, Defensive Specialists, Gabby Gregorski also wasn’t a Falcon during the 2022 season, as she played for the University of Texas El Paso Miner’s. She played in 17 sets over 13 matches, recording five digs and one service ace. She also excelled in the classroom earning USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll and Academic Medal.
“It’s awesome to be a Falcon. I’m very grateful to be here, grateful to be at the school and be friends with everybody on the team and have an awesome time with everyone,” said Gregorski. “Like Kiki said, we are here to win, here to play as a team and get better every day and win some games this season.”
The Falcons will be on the road when they kick the season off, taking on Huston Tillotson and University of the Southwest on Friday, Sept. 1, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in San Angelo, Texas. The next day, Saturday, Sept. 2, the Falcons will face Henderson State at 11 a.m. and Angelo State at 5 p.m. Both games will be in San Angelo.
