VALDOSTA — The athletic season at Valdosta State University officially begins Friday morning, when the Blazer volleyball team takes the court against Converse College at 11 a.m.

The Blazers will also face the Florida Institute of Technology at 7 p.m.

The pair of games Friday are part of the Blazers’ Fairfield Inn and Suites Azalea Classic, which features six teams, including Valdosta State, participating in a two-day tournament at the VSU P.E. Complex. Games begin at 9 a.m. both days. Albany State and Lander get the action started on Friday morning.

“I know some coaches that would rather go somewhere else on the first weekend and work out all the kinks and then come home the second weekend,” Valdosta State head volleyball coach Sia Poyer said. “But for us, for non-conference play, it is pretty hard to get teams to come here, for whatever reason. ... It is nice to start with our tournament, to play four matches on our home court. It is hard to get teams to come here, but especially with our schedule this year, we’re on the road a lot, we will take anything we can get at home.”

Overall, a total of 12 matches will be played between the two days at the Complex.

The Blazer volleyball team has high expectations coming into the 2012 season. Although picked to finish fourth in the Gulf South Conference, after finishing 2011 with a 17-18 record, the Blazers have goals of winning the regular season championship and hosting the conference tournament in November.

“We are definitely going to make it really far in conference, hopefully win conference,” said senior Katie Onushko. “I think if we can do well this first tournament, it will determine a lot of how well we play the rest of the season. But we are really thinking high standards for this first tournament.”

The Blazers may have the right team to finally get over the hump and win conference, too. Poyer returns nearly his entire team from 2011, with the exception of seniors Chelsea Logan and Macy Markham, meaning this year’s team has plenty of game experience.

This year’s senior class, which features players like Onushko and Tania Tauiliili, will lead the way, along with junior Hope Ripsam, who has played a key factor in games since her arrival on campus in 2010. Freshman Kelsey Kovar, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, and Nikki McDaniel, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter, are also expected to play key roles this season, according to Poyer.

“They have been doing well so far,” Poyer said. “We have done things a little differently this year, especially with having my new assistant coach (Jordana Price). She never lets up; not that I get tired of yelling at them.”

“In D-II women’s volleyball, a lot of it is, you just have to work as a team so well,” Poyer continued. “Your communication cannot let up, because your rallies are going to be longer. You have to be constantly talking. Your team chemistry has to be there, and the girls, at least the new ones, are slowly figuring out you can’t rely on your ability. Not only do you have to play well, you can’t be selfish. You have teammates you have to count on. You have to learn how to play as a team.”

In order to win the conference, the Blazers will have to go through powers like West Florida — the reigning GSC champion — North Alabama and Christian Brothers, all three of whom were picked to finish ahead of the Blazers this season.

The Blazers face the “big three” a combined six times this season. VSU faces North Alabama and Christian Brothers on back-to-back days in September (21-22), on the road, before facing West Florida, Oct. 4 in Pensacola. The Blazers face all three teams at home, starting with UNA and Christian Brothers Oct. 26-27. West Florida visits the Blazers in the final regular season match of the season Nov. 6.

“It is just the way the conference schedule worked out,” Poyer said. “In fact, we are doing something different this year. There are four weekends, two at home and two on the road, where we are playing three games in three days. We had to do that to accommodate Union and Shorter coming into our conference.”

Along with tough competition in the conference, the Blazers will face tough competition out of the conference, too. In early September, the Blazers will participate in the Lynn Invitational. In October, the Blazers will face four Sunshine State Conference schools at the GSC/SSC Crossover Tournament. The Sunshine State Conference is regarded as the toughest volleyball playing conference in the South Region.

“We go to play the crossover, we open with Tampa, who is the No. 1 team in the region until someone knocks them off,” Poyer said. “Then we have Rollins, St. Leo and Eckerd, arguably the four toughest teams in the SSC.”