University of Delaware Athletics
Two Home Tournaments Highlight 2018 Delaware Volleyball Schedule
5/30/2018 3:18:00 PM | Volleyball
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware volleyball team will host two tournaments and play seven matches against teams that participated in the postseason a year ago as the Blue Hens announced their 2018 schedule on Wednesday.
The Blue Hens kick off their slate by hosting the Delaware Invitational on Aug. 24-26, including the season opener against Morgan State at the Bob Carpenter Center on Aug. 24. Following a home match against La Salle the following day, UD wraps up the tournament on Aug. 26 by taking on Villanova.
Following a trip to the FIU Tournament on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 that features matches against the host Panthers along with Savannah State and Chicago State, Delaware returns home to host the Blue Hen Invitational on Sept. 7-8. UD will face Marist and Grand Canyon on the first day of the tournament, before battling Columbia on the second day.
The Blue Hens wrap up non-conference action on Sept. 14-15 at the Stony Brook Invitational, where they will face Bryant and Colgate along with the host Seawolves. Colgate participated in last year's inaugural NIVC postseason tournament.
Delaware will then play 16 consecutive Colonial Athletic Association matches, facing the other eight conference opponents home and away. The league slate kicks off at Towson, another NIVC participant in 2017, on Sept. 21, before a match at defending CAA champion James Madison two days later.
The Blue Hens host Charleston, which captured the league's regular season title and also advanced to the NCAA Tournament, in their conference home opener on Sept. 28, and will then welcome UNCW to Newark on Sept. 30. Delaware heads back on the road the following weekend, travelling to William & Mary on Oct. 5 and to Elon on Oct. 7.
The Blue Hens then enjoy a four-match homestand over the next two weeks, hosting Northeastern (Oct. 12), Hofstra (Oct. 14), William & Mary (Oct. 19) and Elon (Oct. 21). UD plays its final four road matches during the following two weekends at UNCW (Oct. 26), Charleston (Oct. 28), Northeastern (Nov. 2) and Hofstra (Nov. 4).
Delaware concludes its regular season with home matches against Towson on Nov. 9 and James Madison on Nov. 11. The six-team CAA Tournament will be held on Nov. 15-18 in Charleston, S.C.
“We are very excited about the upcoming season,” said head coach Sara Matthews, who begins her second season leading the Blue Hens this fall. “One of the best aspects of our 2018 schedule is we have six more home matches. It was tough last season being on the road the first five weekends so we are really looking forward to hosting two home tournaments. With six newcomers joining our team this fall, our schedule will allow us a chance to get in quality competition while working on integrating them into our team system. Our preseason schedule should prepare us nicely for the start of CAA play.”
MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Tritt | ktritt@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8715 | Cell: 302-383-5005
