Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Announce 2006 Volleyball Schedule
5/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
May 1, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Four regular-season tournaments, including trips to West Virginia and Dayton, and a 20-match schedule in the always tough Big Ten Conference, highlight the 2006 Indiana women's volleyball schedule, announced May 1 by Indiana head coach Katie Weismiller. In sum, Indiana will have 16 home matches during the 2006 season.
"We certainly have a very competitive schedule ahead of us," Weismiller said. "We always know that the Big Ten is going to be strong competition and one of the best conferences in the country. Our preseason schedule has been tailored towards preparing for the Big Ten. Our preseason slat is going to be tough. We have quite a few NCAA Tournament teams scheduled. We are not taking a break before league play. We are going to hit it hard with our preparation this summer and during the preseason."
Indiana opens the 2006 campaign on Aug. 25 in Morgantown, W.Va. for the West Virginia Invitational. During the two-day competition, the Hoosiers will face Akron, Oakland and the Mountaineers. Then, the Hoosiers return home for the IU Classic from Sept. 1-2. Indiana will play against Chicago State, 2005 NCAA Tournament entrants Marshall and Maryland during the two-day affair.
The next week, Indiana heads back on the road for the Dayton Invitational on Sept. 8-9 to do battle with 2005 NCAA Tournament entrants Dayton and LSU as well as Wake Forest. The Hoosiers then close out the pre-season tournament schedule by hosting the IU Invitational on Sept. 15-16. Chattanooga, Mercer and SMU will be on the docket for the event.
The Big Ten Conference continues its ascension into the upper echelon of volleyball leagues. With six teams making the 2005 NCAA Tournament, the league slate will remain challenging for the Hoosiers.
"It is nice not to be the odd team out this year in the travel schedule," Weismiller said. "That is going to be a major plus for us this year. One of the disadvantages of playing home and away contests in this league, however, is heading into some of the top arenas in the country every year. You see the attendance numbers continue to rise, and winning in those venues is tougher and tougher each year. We welcome that challenge. Players like Erica Short and Lauren Ditteon are getting older and more mature in handling those situations. We are looking to step it up in the Big Ten this year."
Indiana begins conference play on the road with a Michigan swing from Sept. 22-23 with contests against the Wolverines and Spartans. Next, the Hoosiers open home Big Ten action against perennial powers Penn State and Ohio State on Sept. 29-30. The regular season then concludes at home against Wisconsin and Minnesota on Nov. 24-25.
