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USF Volleyball Announces 2011 Schedule
Complete 2011 Volleyball Schedule
SAN FRANCISCO — USF head volleyball coach Gilad Doron is pleased today to announce his team's 2011 schedule.
"We have put together a good schedule to prepare our team for conference play and to allow them to grow and to improve," Doron said. "I'm excited to start the 2011 chapter of USF volleyball."
USF begins the season at the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational hosted by NCAA volleyball powerhouse Hawaii. The Dons will only play one game a day and face off against Hawaii to open the tournament on Aug. 26. Next up is Arizona on Aug. 27, followed by Wichita State on Aug. 28.
All three of the Dons' first tournament opponents played in the NCAA Tournament last season and finished the year with RPIs in the top 40.
"It's a tough tournament to start the year and the preseason," Doron said. "It will be the first challenge of the season and set the tone for the rest of the preseason schedule.
The Dons will then return home to host their own Asics Challenge, which consists of Memphis, Providence and Columbia and will give the team a taste of East Coast volleyball for the weekend.
USF won't be home long as the team travels to the Nike Cougar Challenge Tournament hosted by Washington State on Sept. 9-10 and then to the UNLV Invitational from Sept. 16-17. In addition to the host school, the Washington State tournament field includes Sam Houston State, USF and Manhattan. UNLV will welcome USF, Baylor and Fresno State.
In total, the Dons play teams from 10 different conferences during their non-conference schedule. That includes two matches against Pacific-10 and Western Athletic Conference teams in addition to one match against teams from the: Missouri Valley Conference, Big XII, American East, Ivy League, Conference USA, Southland, Metro-Atlantic and Mountain West.
"Our goal for the non-conference schedule was to make it as diverse as possible," Doron said. "It's exciting to play teams from so many different conferences to expose our team to the different styles and players from across the country."
The Dons open the West Coast Conference season at home against two-time defending league champion San Diego on Thursday, September 22. USF then takes to the road to play at Saint Mary's, Gonzaga and Portland, before returning to War Memorial Gym for a four-game homestand against Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine and Saint Mary's.
After a trip to neighboring Santa Clara, USF hosts WCC newcomer BYU. Four of the team's final six WCC games will be on the road at San Diego, BYU, Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount with the final home games slated for Nov. 10 and Nov.12 against Portland and Gonzaga.
