Two-time defending Ohio Valley Conference champion UTM opens its 2003 season with four matches in the Arkansas State University Classic today and Saturday.

UT Martin will be playing Northwestern State University at 1 p.m. and Arkansas State at 7 p.m. today. The Skyhawks will play the University of Memphis at 11 a.m. and the University of Arkansas Little Rock at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Seniors Jamie Fitzwater and Heather Kea will lead the Skyhawks this season.

Fitzwater is an outside hitter who was named All-OVC Tournament Team last season. She finished the season with 223 kills in 79 games and had 53 total blocks and 79 digs.

Kea also adds experience to the court. As an Honorable Mention All-OVC selection in 2001, Kea finished this past season with 194 kills as an outside hitter.

Junior Leigh Reiniche, an All-OVC Tournament Team pick this past season, and nine newcomers make up the Skyhawks roster.

Skyhawk head coach Chris Rushing said this season is a rebuilding year.

“Four years ago, I was in the same situation. We brought in 10 new players and we only had two returners. I had to rely heavily on the freshmen class,” Rushing said. “This year I have six good players returning.”

A year ago Rushing used a senior-led team to a 24-6 record, a 15-1 Ohio Valley Conference mark, the OVC regular season title, the OVC postseason tournament and a berth in the NCAA tournament against perennial power Nebraska.

“I don’t think we are going to have as bad of a rebuilding season as we did four years ago,” Rushing said. “There was no pressure to win four years ago.”

After the recent success, Rushing and the Skyhawks might feel some pressure this season.

“I have never had pressure from anybody around here to win, because I don't think anybody expected we could win,” Rushing said.

“The only pressure I have had since I have been here is the pressure I put on myself to make the team successful. This year might be different,” Rushing said.

“We have made some improvements each year and we have won the conference the past two seasons, so now I think coming in fourth place might tend to be looked at by people in the community as a failure. Three years ago, we never placed higher than seventh in the conference.”

Another big difference between this season and last season is the team’s opening tournament. A year ago, the Skyhawks traveled to California where it played several ranked teams.

This season the Skyhawks open the season three hours from home in the Arkansas State Classic.

“Northwestern State, Arkansas State and Memphis are going to be tough teams to open with this season,” Rushing said.

“All three teams will give us a challenge. We won’t be able to overlook any of them.”