EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team begins its 2014 campaign September 5-6 when it hosts the Dunn Hospitality Classic at the Physical Activities Center.
USI plays four matches during the Dunn Hospitality Classic, which features 10 teams and 20 contests that will be played on two courts. Included in that slate are bouts against Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foes Ohio Dominican University and Hillsdale College as well as matches against the University of North Alabama and the University of West Florida.
The Dunn Hospitality Classic begins a 15-match home slate for the Screaming Eagles that includes nine matches against Great Lakes Valley Conference opposition and 13 contests against Midwest Region teams.
A trip to Owensboro, Kentucky, to take on Midwest Region foe Kentucky Wesleyan College September 9 will serve as USI's final conference tune-up as GLVC play begins September 13-14 when the Eagles host William Jewell College and Rockhurst University.
Following a short two-match road swing that sees the Eagles pay visits to Missouri University of Science & Technology and Drury University September 20-21, USI begins GLVC East Division play September 26 when it hosts Saint Joseph's College.
USI's meeting with the Pumas starts a six-match homestand that watches the Eagles play host the defending GLVC champion University of Indianapolis (September 27), Bellarmine University (September 30), the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (October 3), Lewis University (October 4), and Kentucky State University (October 8).
The Eagles will wear their pink uniforms as they "Dig for the Cure" when they host UW-Parkside October 3.
After trips to McKendree University and the University of Illinois Springfield October 10-11, the Eagles return to the PAC to host Midwest Region foe Cedarville University October 14.
USI competes in the annual GLVC/GLIAC Crossover October 17-18 in Aurora, Illinois, before visiting another Midwest Region foe, Trevecca Nazarene University, October 21.
The Eagles host Quincy University October 25 for Senior Day before concluding their home slate the following day when they take on Truman State University.
USI plays its final five matches of the regular-season on the road, beginning October 29 when the Eagles visit Bellarmine.
After stops at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Maryville University November 1-2, the Eagles conclude the year when they visit Indianapolis (November 7) and Saint Joseph's (November 8).
GLVC Tournament play is November 14-16 at a site to be determined, while the NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament is November 20-23, also at a site to be determined. The NCAA II Volleyball Championship is December 4-6 in Louisville, Kentucky.
USI is looking to advance to the NCAA II Tournament for the second straight season and the fourth time in the last five years. The Eagles were 24-9 overall, 15-3 in the GLVC, a year ago and return All-Midwest Region junior middle blocker
Abbey Winter (Germantown, Illinois) as well as All-GLVC senior outside hitters
Lauren DeShaney (Appleton, Wisconsin) and
Fawn Ryan (Batesville, Indiana) from last season's squad.
The Eagles are under the direction of 10th-year Head Coach
Leah Mercer, who was named the GLVC Coach of the Year in 2013.
