LUBBOCK, Texas – Despite the 600 miles between here and Natchitoches, there are plenty of Northwestern State volleyball ties deep in the heart of West Texas.
 
As NSU prepares for its final tournament of the regular season – the Texas Tech-hosted Lone Star Showdown – it does so with plenty of bonds between the Purple and White and the host institution.
 
First-year head coach Sean Kiracofe is a 1999 Texas Tech graduate and former Red Raiders club volleyball captain. Although this is his first trip to Lubbock as an opposing head coach, Kiracofe has coached in United Supermarkets Arena as an assistant.
 
NSU (2-8) faces Washington State at 1:30 p.m. Friday in its tournament-opening match before taking on Portland State at 4:30 p.m. Kiracofe's squad will face his alma mater at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in its final tournament match of the regular season.
 
"I was happy to see this was on the schedule," Kiracofe said. "We have a tough preseason schedule, but I was happy to see it. I went back as an assistant. I have a 3-0 record on that court, so hopefully, I can continue to have a winning record.
 
"I joked with the girls about pressure being on them, but we're going to make sure they're not thinking about that. It's going to be fun for me."
 
With a roster filled with Texans – 11 of NSU's 13 players hail from Louisiana's western neighbor – Kiracofe is not alone in being connected with this weekend's destination.
 
Freshman Channing Burleson's hometown of Midland puts her in the closest to home category this week.
 
Although Northwestern State's next road trip to Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word will take her slightly closer to home, Burleson is quite familiar with Lubbock.
 
"A lot of my family's going," said Burleson, who enters the tournament having racked up six double-figure dig totals in the last seven matches.
 
"It will be good to see them, since it is so close. My mom, my grandmother and my sisters have (seen Burleson play in college). My other grandparents are coming. They'll get to see me for the first time."
 
Fellow freshman Reagan Rogers has family ties on Texas Tech's campus as her brother Tanner, a senior, will be in the stands when NSU makes its first trip to Lubbock since 2012.
 
It will mark the first time Tanner Rogers will see his sister as a college player.
 
"He'll text me and ask, 'How's it going?' or 'What's it like?'" Reagan Rogers said. "I'm not nervous about him watching me, but I'm really excited about seeing him."
 
Kiracofe's familiarity with Lubbock extends to the Lone Star Showdown field.
 
One of his stops prior to Northwestern State brought him in contact with both Washington State and Portland State.
 
"I've seen both of those teams when I was at Montana State," Kiracofe said. "I was in the conference with Portland State, so I know them from a few years ago. We played Washington State a lot. We have an idea of what to expect going into it."
 
As for Texas Tech, Burleson may be a little more familiar with the Red Raiders than her current coach.
 
Burleson crossed paths with Texas Tech coach Don Flora when Burleson attended a USA High Performance camp in Lubbock.
 
Though Kiracofe has not faced Texas Tech since Flora took control of the program in 2011, the first-year head coach has maintained ties to Lubbock.
 
"I don't have specific experience with them on the court, but I have a good relationship with that staff," he said. "I've worked camps with them. It's going to be fun to coach against them."