Match #1
ART U Urban Knights (0-0) vs. Cal State East Bay (0-0)
Thursday, September 2, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.
Hayward, Calif. – Pioneer Gym
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #2
ART U Urban Knights (0-0) vs. Chico State (0-0)
Friday, September 3, 2021 at 10 a.m.
San Rafael, Calif. – Conlan Center
Live Stats & Video

Match #3
ART U Urban Knights (0-0) vs. Cal State Monterey Bay (0-0)
Saturday, September 4, 2021 at 10 a.m.
San Rafael, Calif. – Conlan Center
Live Stats & Video

Match #4
ART U Urban Knights (0-0) vs. Stanislaus State (0-0)
Saturday, September 4, 2021 at 3 p.m.
San Rafael, Calif. – Conlan Center
Live Stats & Video

This week, Academy of Art volleyball steps back onto the court for its first full season since 2019. A shortened spring campaign earlier this year helped provide the Urban Knights with valuable experience as Head Coach Allen McCreary and his staff have prepared a strong returning contingent which will be complemented by a talented incoming freshman class.

Navigating a complete 28-match schedule, ART U begins with four non-conference matches in the NorCal Kickoff this week then four in the Gator/Seawolf Classic on Sept. 10-11. Pacific West Conference play begins with a Southern California roadtrip to Azusa Pacific and Point Loma on Sept. 17-18 then a six-match homestand sees the Urban Knights primarily back inside Walter Gleason Gym to host Fresno Pacific (Sept. 22), the three PacWest Hawaii schools (Sept. 27-Oct. 2), then rematches with APU and PLNU (Oct. 7-8). Three road matches follow with first looks at Fresno Pacific (Oct. 16), Biola (Oct. 21), and Concordia (Oct. 22) before home contests against Dominican (Oct. 29) and Holy Names (Oct. 30) finish the month. November opens with a three-part Hawaii roadtrip (Nov. 4-7), proceeds with the final two home matches against CUI and Biola (Nov. 12-13), and concludes with local road rematches versus Holy Names and Dominican (Nov. 19-20). To view the 2021 schedule, click here!

Making up a 2021 roster loaded with veterans, Academy of Art welcomes back three seniors and three juniors this season. Libero/setter Catharina Brant Bambirra, opposite Kiersten Kerch, and middle blocker/opposite Sadie Emery will join setter Picabo Reinhold, middle blocker Jillian Wheaton, and outside hitter Celena Davison as the most experienced Urban Knights. At 505 career kills, Emery has the most of any returning student-athlete (10th in program history) while Wheaton carries the highest career attack percentage of any Urban Knight to date at .342 and Reinhold sits third in ART U history with 1,767 career assists.

Also part of the junior class, incoming outside hitter Isaura Santos will debut for ART U after her time with University of Providence most recently. Helping the Argos to their first regular season conference championship, a conference tournament title, and a NAIA National Tournament appearance, Santos played in 20 matches while averaging 2.62 kills, 2.27 digs, and the team's second-highest points per set average at 3.00 in 2020-21.

A total of five student-athletes compose ART U's freshman class with three returning from the spring season. Familiar faces are outside hitters Katherine Von Kraut (Cherry Creek) and Ashley Mecham (Island) along with setter Nina Garcia (Southwest Career and Technical Academy), who earned All-PacWest Northern California Team after finishing the spring season third in the PacWest in assists per set (8.73) and fourth in service aces per set (0.50). In the spring, Mecham ranked third in the conference in kills per set (3.45) and seventh in points per set (3.70)

Defensive specialist Elena Torres (Foothill) and Janaya Delone (Valley View) will embark upon their first collegiate seasons coming off senior seasons where they played invaluable roles on their high school teams.

As the program officially begins its 14th campaign to date this Thursday, Academy of Art unites behind talent and depth at every position.