DENTON, Texas - The intrasquad scrimmages are over and fall camp has come to a close. The only thing left to do for the North Texas volleyball team is to head to Mississippi and kick off the Ken Murczek era in style.

North Texas' newest coach brings a resume packed with playing experience and years of assistant coaching duties, but Friday against Southeastern Louisiana will mark his first match as a Division I head coach.

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"I think the kids have done an unbelievable job buying into the system, and I couldn't be more excited to get started," Murczek said. "We have three awesome opportunities to get this season started on a great note."

Among those opportunities will be a match against former Sun Belt rival, and the reigning West Division champion New Orleans on Sunday. Earlier this year UNO decided to leave the SBC and transition to Division III, but the rivalry is far from over.

NT has faced the Privateers each season since 2000, so many of the players have spent the last three years competing.

The Privateers and the other teams at the Jackson State Invite will also get a dose of the six newcomers to the Mean Green program.

"I think it's going really we right now. I can't get over just how much we improve every day," said senior Kristin Petrasic, a transfer from Central Florida. "Our communication is better, our technique is better and I think it's going to show in Mississippi."