TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (August 23, 2017) – The Salt Lake Community College Bruins are ready to launch the 2017 volleyball season, a season that will feature matchups with several national powers and regional foes.

The Bruins will host two preseason tournaments, the Crystal Classic and the Crystal "Inn"vitational. The Crystal Classic tips off this weekend, with the Bruins taking on Lee College at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, and Casper College and Northeastern Junior College at 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., respectively, Friday. Saturday's opponent is Western Wyoming, with first serve scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

While SLCC will play against many of the nation's best throughout the season, it is a matchup with defending national champion Miami Dade in the Crystal "Inn"vitational that will highlight the preseason. Miami Dade was ranked as the nation's best team in the NJCAA Division I preseason poll, and will be one of several national powers traveling to Bruin Arena and the Taylorsville Campus throughout the season.

Other opponents for the Bruins in the Crystal "Inn"vitational include Northwest College, Otero and Laramie County Community College. The Crystal Classic is a three-day tournament, while the Crystal "Inn"vitational serves as a two-day tourney at Bruin Arena.

Salt Lake returns several players from the 2016 national tourney team, notably featuring outside hitter Aubrie Steiner. The Billings, Mont., native had 345 kills in 2016, featuring a ratio of 2.97 kills-per-set. The Bruins will feature four sophomores on the roster in 2017.This will be the ninth year for veteran Bruin volleyball coach Sue Dulaney. Dulaney was the 2016 NJCAA District A Coach of the Year.

Overall, the Bruins will face five opponents who entered the season with preseason rankings, with two of those opponents coming from inside the Scenic West Athletic Conference. SLCC will face the College of Southern Idaho in a match on Sept. 29, while taking on in-state rival Snow College on Sept. 22 in a SWAC opening in Taylorsville. The Bruins defeated CSI in the Region 18 championship match, allowing them to advance to the 2016 NJCAA National Tournament.

SLCC was ranked fifth in the NJCAA preseason poll, after falling in the 2016 national tournament to Miami Dade. The Bruins defeated Panola in last year's national tourney, and Panola is ranked second in the preseason national poll.

Salt Lake's matches in both the Crystal Classic and the Crystal "Inn"vitational will be streamed live at http://live.ksl.com/ on the SLCC Channel. The channel will stream every home match the Bruins play throughout the 2017 season. Additionally, live stats for matches can be found at www.slccbruins.com.

Fans can purchase tickets for the 2017 SLCC Volleyball season by visiting www.slccbruins.com.