University of Delaware Athletics
Ten Home Matches, Four Tournaments Highlight 2013 University of Delaware Volleyball Schedule
7/24/2013 6:39:00 PM | Volleyball
The Blue Hens, led by 12th-year head coach Bonnie Kenny, will make a West Coast trip for the second consecutive year and for the third time in seven seasons when they open their campaign at the Pepperdine Asics Classic on Aug. 30-31. Delaware will kick off its season against the host Waves, who competed in the NCAA Tournament last year, and will also face Wisconsin and Iona in Malibu, Calif.
The following weekend's trip will be significantly shorter for the Blue Hens, who will head south for three matches in the Marriott Greyhound Challenge hosted by Loyola (Md.) on Sept. 6-7. Delaware will take on UMBC during the first day of the invitational, before facing La Salle and the host Greyhounds the following day.
After a non-conference road contest at Penn on Sept. 10, the Blue Hens will host the 37th Annual University of Delaware Invitational on Sept. 13-14 at the Bob Carpenter Center. UD will play its first home match of the year against Rutgers on Sept. 13, before battling Sacred Heart and Furman the next day.
The Blue Hens head to Villanova for a non-league match at Villanova on Sept. 17, before competing in their final regular season tournament at the Clemson Classic on Sept. 20-21. Delaware will open play at the invitational against Troy on Sept. 20, and will take on Alabama and the host Tigers on Sept. 21.
The second half of the Blue Hens' season will feature 14 matches against CAA squads, as Delaware will look to capture its fifth conference title in seven years. UD opens league action on Sept. 27 with a road match at Towson, before hosting Northeastern on Oct. 4 and Hofstra on Oct. 5. Following a stretch of four consecutive road contests, the Blue Hens are back at the BCC on Oct. 25-26 when they welcome James Madison and William & Mary to Newark.
After a two-game swing to the College of Charleston and UNCW, Delaware closes out its regular season with three consecutive home matches. The Blue Hens will take on Towson on Nov. 10, before welcoming UNCW and Charleston to the BCC on Nov. 15-16.
The CAA Tournament will again feature six teams and will be held on Nov. 21-24 on the campus of the regular season champion.
Delaware, which finished 16-14 last season and advanced to the CAA Tournament championship match, returns four starters as well as sophomore libero Ariel Shonk, a third team All-CAA selection and the 2012 CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year. Sophomore Mackenzie Olsen, who joined Shonk on the CAA All-Rookie Team a year ago, also returns for the Blue Hens, as well as frontline hitters Katie Hank, Katie Hillman and Chandler Bryant.
