The volleyball team will have the distinction of hosting the first Division I contest for the athletic program since 1980, part of a challenging 2008 schedule announced by head coach Shannon Ellis Thursday.
“For our first season against Division I competition, we wanted to jump in and see what we are up against right away. We are playing against teams with many different styles, techniques, and strengths,” Ellis said.
After starting the season by facing , State, and Cal State Northridge at the Bronco Invitational in , , welcomes to the Tuesday, Sept. 2, for a 6 p.m. match. The Redhawks also host South Florida Thursday, Sept. 4, at 4 p.m. before heading to , , to face UCLA and the .
The team heads to for the Portland State Volleyball Showcase, as well as a road match against the of , before co-hosting a weekend tournament with national power . The Redhawks face the Huskies at Bank of America Arena Thursday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. before returning to the for an exhibition match against the Zhejiang Club Team from on Friday, Sept. 19, and a Saturday, Sept. 20, matinee against West Coast Conference school .
A weekend trip to the Bay Area to face WCC members St. Mary’s and San Francisco is followed by the SU Dig For The Cure Classic, when the Redhawks welcome fellow reclassifying schools Bryant University, North Dakota, and South Dakota over Columbus Day Weekend. The team then takes a trip south to face , North Florida, and , with a quick turnaround to the eastern part of to face and Gonzaga.
will host Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday, Oct. 25, and then go on another road trip, this time facing , State, and . The crosstown rivalry against Seattle Pacific is rekindled in the final home match of the season on Wednesday, Nov. 12, followed by a trip to , for the New to Division I Tournament hosted by Bryant on Nov. 14-15.
“For our very young team, this is a fantastic schedule to help us get used to the speed of the game at this level. Now it’s up to us to work hard, to compete and fight every time we are on the floor, and to improve every day,” said Ellis.
Nine returning players, including four starters, are back from the 2007 squad that went 10-16, with five of those losses coming in five-game matches early in the season as the team was still learning how to play together successfully.