Lineup: Hendrix | Berry | Huntingdon | LaGrange | Stevenson

CONWAY, Ark. - Hendrix's Wellness and Athletics Center is lined with trophy cases on both sides of the Bates/Rasco Lobby, recounting 100-plus years of athletics greatness among more than 20 varsity sports. But among the polished metal figures, carved pieces of wood, signed balls and cut nets from yesteryear sits a picture in a six by eight inch frame on a third shelf adjacent to Grove Gymnasium, unbeknownst to most, of the greatest award ever won in school history.

On May 24, 2013, Elizabeth Krug, then a junior on the Warriors women's track and field team, won the school's first and only individual national championship, coming in the heptathlon, since moving to the NCAA (Eric Hooyschuur won the 1984 NAIA men's swimming national championship in the 200 yard butterfly). In 48 hours, M.C. Parker and company hope to make their own history.

"We are very excited to compete in the first ever NCAA Division III beach volleyball national championship," Parker said.

The Hendrix beach volleyball squad, in only its third season of existence, heads to Hickory Point Beach Volleyball Complex in Tavares, Fla., to take part in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Small College Beach Championship, presented by the United States Marine Corps, Friday and Saturday and represents the school's best chance since the volleyball team's run to the semifinals of the National Championship in 2015, when Parker was a junior outside hitter and an AVCA All-South Region honorable mention and All-Southern Athletic Association first team performer, of bringing home its first team national title.

Hendrix (14-8) enters this year's tournament 13-2 against non-Division I opponents, having won the last four such instances, and is a perfect 7-0 in neutral site dual matches against said foes.

Five schools qualified for the tournament, which begins Friday with pool play when Hendrix faces Huntingdon (Ala.) at 9 a.m. CT, LaGrange (Ga.) at 11 a.m. and Berry (Ga.) at 2 p.m. The Warriors are 2-0 this season against the Vikings, having captured nine of 10 matches, and defeated the Hawks, 3-2, in their only previous meeting March 4. Hendrix faces the 0-11 Panthers for the first time in program history. All three dual matches are scheduled for courts C1-C5.

On Saturday, pool play concludes with a dual match at 8 a.m. on courts B1-B5 against Stevenson (Md.), the only team in the pod to defeat Hendrix this season (4-1 on March 26).

The top two teams from pool play vie for the national championship Saturday at 1 p.m. on courts A1-A5. The third-place dual match takes place at the same time on courts B1-B5.

The Warriors are headlined by Abby Collier and Camryn Presley, who are 17-5 overall as Hendrix's No. 1 pair, including 14-1 against non-Division I opponents. Collier and Presley have won nine-straight matches and are a combined 4-0 against the field, having won every set.

Kyler Greenlee and Morgan Ford are in line as the Warriors No. 2 pair. The duo was instrumental in helping Hendrix secure its first dual match win ever against a Division I team after the Warriors dispatched Abilene Christian, 3-2, on March 19. Against the Wildcats, Greenlee and Ford, who have yet to face a pair in the championship field, won No. 2 doubles in three sets: 15-21, 21-12, 15-10. 

Hendrix is rolling out Liz Roy and Isabella Eurgil in No. 3 doubles. The duo is 4-4 as the three-pair (3-3 as No. 2 pair) and has won two-straight matches on that line. Like Greenlee and Ford, Roy and Eurgil picked up a win against Abilene Christian in three sets (26-24, 17-21, 15-11) but have not yet played a duo from any squad in pool play. 

Mabrey Matz and Eliana Oden are set as the No. 4 pair for the Warriors. In No. 4 doubles, they are 9-5 overall, including 2-0 against schools in the pool.

"Team hyphen" - Meghan Fuller-Freeman and Avery Evans-Brooks - are the No. 5 pair for Hendrix. The duo is 3-1 overall, not including a 2-1 mark in exhibitions. Fuller-Freeman and Evans-Brooks have only played two matches together in No. 5 doubles, but both came on April 9, a loss to Missouri State which preceded a three-set victory against NAIA member Ottawa (Kan.): 22-20, 14-21, 15-10.

Charlotte Alexander, Faith Hill, Hayden Garris, Lauren Rothe and Kenedi Brunen are alternates for the Warriors. Alexander went 2-1 in exhibitions. Garris and Rothe won their only match this season, coming in No. 5 doubles against NAIA member Oklahoma Wesleyan in straight sets (21-12, 21-12) on April 2. Rothe went 2-0 in exhibitions, while Garris was 1-1. Alexander and Hill won in No. 5 doubles against Berry in three sets (21-16, 14-21, 15-12) on March 27.

"We have learned a lot throughout this season," Parker commented. "I am looking forward to us putting it all together this weekend in Florida."

A total of 3,247 days have passed since Krug instilled herself behind two glass panels. Come Saturday afternoon, she might have company in that trophy case.