Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Raiders announce 2016 volleyball schedule
5/23/2016 11:41:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
MT will travel to California, Knoxville, Virginia and play 14 conference games
MURFREESBORO – Middle Tennessee volleyball and first year Head Coach Dan Ahiers have released their 2016 schedule. The schedule is highlighted by a trip to the California Bay Area to play a tournament at Saint Mary's. Additionally, the Raiders will travel to Knoxville to play the Vols for the first time since 2002, make a trip to Virginia for the VCU Tournament, and host the annual Blue Raider Bash September 9-10. The Conference USA slate will begin on September 23 with a trip to UAB and contain 14 conference matches.
"I'm really pleased with our schedule," Ahiers said. "It's tough, but there are a bunch of games on there that I know we can win. I really like the fact that we are playing so many different styles of teams and from all over the country. SEC, Big East, WCC, ACC, you name it, we're playing them. Plus we're playing four teams inside the state of Tennessee. We want to bring back some rivalries from inside the state and try to establish ourselves as the premier volleyball school in Tennessee."
The season will begin August 26 in Knoxville as the Raiders will participate in a tournament hosted by the Tennessee Volunteers. MT will open the tournament with former Sun Belt foe ULM, then are scheduled to take on the Cincinnati before finishing the tournament with the Volunteers. The Raiders are currently undefeated against the Warhawks, sporting a 7-0 record all-time. MT has played the Bearcats just once, in 1994.
The second weekend of the season MT will travel to Moraga, California, about 12 miles east of Oakland, to participate in a tournament hosted by the Saint Mary's Gaels. The Raiders will open the tournament on September 2 with Nevada. On September 3 they're scheduled to take on the host Saint Mary's and then will finish the tournament with UC Riverside. MT is 1-0 all-time against the Gaels, having defeated them in 2006. But their matches against the Wolf Pack and Highlanders will be the first in program history.
"I'm really looking forward to our trip to Northern California," Ahiers, a California native, stated. "Saint Mary's is putting on a great tournament and it's in a great location. Most of our team has never been to California, so we're hoping to go out a day early and stay a day late and give them a chance to see some of the sights in and around San Francisco."
September 9-10 will see the Raiders host their annual Blue Raider Bash, which will feature Seton Hall, Illinois State, and historical instate rival Tennessee Tech. MT traveled to South Orange, New Jersey to take on the Pirates in the Seton Hall Classic in 2014 and will be looking to avenge their five set loss during the tournament. The Bash will mark the first time the Raiders will take on the Redbirds before they close the tournament with former Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee Tech. The Raiders and Golden Eagles had a fierce rivalry during the time MT was in the OVC, and MT made good on the volleyball court winning 34 of 35 matches all-time, including the last 27 consecutively.
In the middle of that next week the Raiders will travel to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to play ACC opponent Wake Forest in a stand-alone event before heading to Richmond, Virginia to participate in a tournament hosted by VCU. The Raiders and Rams have battled five times on the volleyball court and MT holds a 3-2 advantage after a three set loss last season. In the tournament MT will also take on the Morgan State Bears for the first time in school history, as well as Liberty for the second year in a row. In 2015 the Raiders earned a 3-0 sweep of the Flames at the Hokie Invitational hosted by Virginia Tech.
Middle Tennessee will also take on two more in-state rivals in Tennessee State and Austin Peay, bringing the total number to four. The Raiders will be in Nashville to take on the Tigers on October 5, then on October 19 they will host the Lady Govs.
Conference USA play will begin on September 23 for the Raiders as they will travel to Birmingham to take on UAB. Middle Tennessee plays just two home and home series in conference this season as they will play the Blazers and WKU twice in 2016. In addition, the Raiders will host North Texas, Rice, Southern Miss, UTEP and UTSA. MT will travel to Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, LA Tech and Marshall.
The regular season will end with the Raiders hosting the Mean Green on November 12 before the C-USA Tournament will begin in Houston on November 17.
Check out the schedule here: /documents/2016/5/23//2016_MT_Volleyball_Schedule.pdf?id=7925
"I'm really pleased with our schedule," Ahiers said. "It's tough, but there are a bunch of games on there that I know we can win. I really like the fact that we are playing so many different styles of teams and from all over the country. SEC, Big East, WCC, ACC, you name it, we're playing them. Plus we're playing four teams inside the state of Tennessee. We want to bring back some rivalries from inside the state and try to establish ourselves as the premier volleyball school in Tennessee."
The season will begin August 26 in Knoxville as the Raiders will participate in a tournament hosted by the Tennessee Volunteers. MT will open the tournament with former Sun Belt foe ULM, then are scheduled to take on the Cincinnati before finishing the tournament with the Volunteers. The Raiders are currently undefeated against the Warhawks, sporting a 7-0 record all-time. MT has played the Bearcats just once, in 1994.
The second weekend of the season MT will travel to Moraga, California, about 12 miles east of Oakland, to participate in a tournament hosted by the Saint Mary's Gaels. The Raiders will open the tournament on September 2 with Nevada. On September 3 they're scheduled to take on the host Saint Mary's and then will finish the tournament with UC Riverside. MT is 1-0 all-time against the Gaels, having defeated them in 2006. But their matches against the Wolf Pack and Highlanders will be the first in program history.
"I'm really looking forward to our trip to Northern California," Ahiers, a California native, stated. "Saint Mary's is putting on a great tournament and it's in a great location. Most of our team has never been to California, so we're hoping to go out a day early and stay a day late and give them a chance to see some of the sights in and around San Francisco."
September 9-10 will see the Raiders host their annual Blue Raider Bash, which will feature Seton Hall, Illinois State, and historical instate rival Tennessee Tech. MT traveled to South Orange, New Jersey to take on the Pirates in the Seton Hall Classic in 2014 and will be looking to avenge their five set loss during the tournament. The Bash will mark the first time the Raiders will take on the Redbirds before they close the tournament with former Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee Tech. The Raiders and Golden Eagles had a fierce rivalry during the time MT was in the OVC, and MT made good on the volleyball court winning 34 of 35 matches all-time, including the last 27 consecutively.
In the middle of that next week the Raiders will travel to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to play ACC opponent Wake Forest in a stand-alone event before heading to Richmond, Virginia to participate in a tournament hosted by VCU. The Raiders and Rams have battled five times on the volleyball court and MT holds a 3-2 advantage after a three set loss last season. In the tournament MT will also take on the Morgan State Bears for the first time in school history, as well as Liberty for the second year in a row. In 2015 the Raiders earned a 3-0 sweep of the Flames at the Hokie Invitational hosted by Virginia Tech.
Middle Tennessee will also take on two more in-state rivals in Tennessee State and Austin Peay, bringing the total number to four. The Raiders will be in Nashville to take on the Tigers on October 5, then on October 19 they will host the Lady Govs.
Conference USA play will begin on September 23 for the Raiders as they will travel to Birmingham to take on UAB. Middle Tennessee plays just two home and home series in conference this season as they will play the Blazers and WKU twice in 2016. In addition, the Raiders will host North Texas, Rice, Southern Miss, UTEP and UTSA. MT will travel to Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, LA Tech and Marshall.
The regular season will end with the Raiders hosting the Mean Green on November 12 before the C-USA Tournament will begin in Houston on November 17.
Check out the schedule here: /documents/2016/5/23//2016_MT_Volleyball_Schedule.pdf?id=7925
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