10:28am | Long Beach State will face many of its former players this weekend, as the 49ers host the alumni in a preseason exhibition match, beginning on Saturday at 5 p.m. in the Walter Pyramid. The 49ers were ranked No. 22 in the AVCA preseason coaches poll.

The 49ers returned to the polls in the preseason ranking from the coaches, as six starters return from the 2011 season, including three All-Big West honorees in senior Caitlin Ledoux, sophomore Haleigh Hampton, and junior Janisa Johnson. Also returning for the 49ers are senior libero Lauren Minkel, middle blocker Michelle Osunbor, and right-side hitter Delainey Aigner-Swesey, who earned All-Freshman team honors in her first season along with Hampton.
 
The 49ers received 234 points in the poll, and will face four other teams that were ranked in the first two weeks of the season. Long Beach State wraps up its first official week of the season with a match against No. 7 Washington on August 27 at 7 p.m., and will then travel to Hawaii for a tournament where they will play three ranked opponents, No. 10 Hawaii, No. 11 UCLA, and No. 21 Ohio State.

Prior to the opening week of the regular season, the 49ers will resume an annual tradition, facing the team’s alumni in an exhibition open to the public. Former Long Beach State stars such as Misty May, Tayyiba Haneef-Park, Brittany Hochevar, Jenn Snyder, and Alexis Crimes are among the former 49ers that have played in recent years. High turnout is expected.

The match will be held at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 20, in the Walter Pyramid.