The UAA volleyball team begins an intense stretch of matches Thursday, when it plays the first of five matches scheduled over a five-day period.
The Seawolves take on American International in a 7 p.m. match that ushers in the SpringHill Suites Invitational at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
The tournament is a six-team, three-day event with one match Thursday, five matches Friday and six matches Saturday.
Besides UAA and American International, a Northeast-10 Conference team from Springfield, Mass., the field includes Augustana of Sioux Falls, S.D., Texas A&M Kingsville, Notre Dame de Namur of Belmont, Calif., and Claflin University of Orangeburg, S.C.
UAA plays once Thursday, once Friday and twice Saturday. The Seawolves are off Sunday and return to action Monday at the Sports Complex for a 5 p.m. match against Colorado Christian.
Hitched hoopsters
The latest recruits to join the UAA basketball teams are Jacob and Emily Craft, a married couple transferring from Central Wyoming College in Riverton, Wyo.
Emily Craft is a 6-foot-2 center who will join the women's team with two years of eligibility remaining. Jacob Craft is a 6-7 forward who will join the men's team with four years of eligibility left.
Playing under her maiden name, Smith, Emily averaged 10.4 points and seven rebounds per game last season at Central Wyoming, where Jacob was a redshirt freshman.
It's not the first time a married a couple has played at UAA. Clay and Selina Anderson played for the men's and women's basketball teams, respectively, during the 1996-97 season.
Anchorage Daily News