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July 10, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –
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Head volleyball coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton has unveiled the 2007 University of Virginia volleyball schedule. UVa will play 31 matches, including 22 Atlantic Coast Conference matches. The season kicks off Aug. 24 at the Las Vegas Tournament.
“We were quite upset we didn’t receive a NCAA bid last fall so this season we’ve taken the bull by the horns,” Shelton said. “We are going to prove to the committee that ACC volleyball deserves multiple bids to the championships.”
The Cavaliers are slated to compete in three four-squad round robin tournaments before ACC competition begins Sept. 14 at home against Virginia Tech. Virginia will play each of the other 11 ACC schools twice (home and away) during the regular season.
UNLV will play host to the Las Vegas event, which also includes Texas Tech and Arizona State. The Cavaliers open the 2007 slate Aug. 24 against the Red Raiders, before facing both the Sun Devils and Rebels on Aug. 25.
The annual Jefferson Cup returns to Charlottesville Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. The Cavaliers welcome Temple, Norfolk State and Arkansas to Memorial Gym for the event.
Five teams Virginia will face in tournament play – Arizona State, Arkansas, Oklahoma, San Diego and UC Santa Barbara – participated in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
Virginia will wrap up regular season tournament play Sept. 7-8 at the San Diego Tournament, an event that will feature Oklahoma and UC Santa Barbara in addition to UVa and San Diego.
“Each of our three non-conference tournaments possesses teams that will be quite challenging for us,” Shelton said. “Our veteran group is aware that these matches will be critical for recognition as tournament at-large bids are given out. We are looking forward to representing UVa and the ACC well at these events.”
ACC play begins with a three-match homestand for the Cavaliers. The conference opener against Tech is followed by home matches with Florida State and Miami.
The final two regular season matches will also be at Memorial Gymnasium. Defending ACC champion Duke is in town on Nov. 21. Wake Forest closes out the regular season on Nov. 23.
“This year in the ACC will be like all others before – a brutal fight to finish in the top four,” Shelton said. “Over half of our teams have the skill, athletic ability and desire to finish No. 1. We have the talent to be in that group and will be working hard all season to repeat our recent success in our double round robin.”