July 9, 2012

Volleyball Releases Challenging 2012 Schedule

GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG volleyball head coach Patrick Nicholas announced a 28-match schedule for the 2012 season, including three early season tournaments. The Spartans will host two tournaments in September on their way to 16 home matches at Fleming Gymnasium.

"We have a very challenging schedule this year," Nicholas said. "We have three tough tournaments with some perennially strong volleyball programs in American, Winthrop and Morehead State. Additionally, hosting MAC-power Ohio will be one of our strongest tests of the season. This schedule is a good test for our young team as it will prepare them for league play"

UNCG will kick off the season with its annual Blue & Gold scrimmage in Fleming Gymnasium Aug. 17. The Spartans open regular season play Aug. 24-25 at the North Carolina Central Invitational in Durham, N.C. UNCG will face host NCCU Friday, before battling Florida Atlantic and defending Big South co-champion Winthrop Saturday.

"We are excited about the upcoming season," Nicholas said. "We had a very good spring season with our work in the weight room and our play in the tournaments at the end of the spring season. I am excited to see all of the hard work the players have put in over the summer translate as the season begins in August."

After a road match at High Point (Sept. 4), UNCG opens home play with the UNCG/North Carolina A&T Invitational. The Spartans will host UNC Asheville Sept. 7 in the first of seven straight home contests. UNCG will continue play on the weekend Saturday as it hosts NCA&T and American.

UNCG continues the home stretch with a match against Ohio Sept. 13 before hosting its annual Spartan Spiketacular Sept. 14-15. Six matches will be held at Fleming Gymnasium with the Spartans facing UNCW (Sept. 14), Youngstown State (Sept. 15) and defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Morehead State (Sept. 15).

The Spartans open Southern Conference play Sept. 20 with a match at rival Elon before hosting The Citadel Sept. 22. The next weekend, UNCG will take on Western Carolina (Sept. 29) and Appalachian State (Sept. 30) on the road.

"The SoCon will be major challenges in both divisions and in the tournament" Nicholas said. "The SoCon improved across the board last year and I believe it will continue that growth again this year. All 12 teams will be battling for the top eight spots to make the tournament and every contest will be a battle, especially in the North Division."

UNCG will host defending SoCon North and SoCon tournament champion Samford and Chattanooga Oct. 5 and 6, respectively, before stepping out of league play for a home date with South Carolina State Oct. 9. The Spartans return to SoCon play with matches at Georgia Southern (Oct. 13) and Davidson (Oct. 14).

A four-match homestand follows, starting with Furman Oct. 19. Wofford comes to Fleming the following day before Western Carolina (Oct. 26) and Appalachian State (Oct. 27) come to town the next weekend. UNCG will then embark on its longest road trip of the season, heading to Chattanooga (Nov. 2) and capping the trip at Samford (Nov. 3).

The Spartans close out the home portion of the schedule against Elon Nov. 8 and finish the regular season against defending SoCon South champion College of Charleston Nov. 10. The SoCon Championship will be held at Davidson from Nov. 17-19.

AGATE

2012 UNCG volleyball schedule
Aug. 17 Blue & Gold Game (scrimmage), 7 p.m.; Aug. 24 at North Carolina Central (North Carolina Central Invitational); Aug. 25 vs. Florida Atlantic, 10 a.m. (at North Carolina Central Invitational, Durham, N.C.); Aug. 25 vs. Winthrop, 4:30 p.m. (at North Carolina Central Invitational, Durham, N.C.); Sept. 4 at High Point, 7 p.m.; Sept. 7 UNC Asheville, 7 p.m. (UNCG/NCA&T Invitational); Sept. 8 North Carolina A&T, 11 a.m. (UNCG/NCA&T Invitational); Sept. 8 American, 7 p.m. (UNCG/NCA&T Invitational); Sept. 13 Ohio, 7 p.m.; Sept. 14 UNCW, 7 p.m. (Spartan Spiketacular); Sept. 15 Youngstown State, Noon (Spartan Spiketacular); Sept. 15 Morehead State, 7 p.m. (Spartan Spiketacular); Sept. 20 at Elon*, 7 p.m.; Sept. 22 The Citadel*, 7 p.m.; Sept. 29 at Western Carolina*, 5 p.m.; Sept. 30 at Appalachian State*, 5 p.m.; Oct. 5 Samford*, 6 p.m.; Oct. 6 Chattanooga*, 6 p.m.; Oct. 9 South Carolina State, 6 p.m.; Oct. 13 at Georgia Southern*, 1 p.m.; Oct. 14 at Davidson*, 2 p.m.; Oct. 19 Furman*, 7 p.m.; Oct. 20 Wofford*, 7 p.m.; Oct. 26 Western Carolina*, 7 p.m.; Oct. 27 Appalachian State*, 7 p.m.; Nov. 2 at Chattanooga*, 6 p.m.; Nov. 3 at Samford*, 7 p.m. (CT); Nov. 8 Elon*, 7 p.m.; Nov. 10 at College of Charleston*, 7 p.m.; Nov. 17-19 at Southern Conference Championship, TBA (Davidson, N.C.)

* Southern Conference match

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