Bowling Green State University Athletics
Volleyball Announces 2008 Schedule
July 16, 2008 | Volleyball
July 16, 2008
For the complete 2008 schedule CLICK HERE
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Head Coach Denise Van De Walle and the BGSU volleyball team announced the 2008 schedule today (July 16). The Falcons will compete in four non-conference tournaments to open the season and will host 11 matches at home in Anderson Arena, including the seventh tournament at home the Best Western Invitational (Sept. 19-20). The highlight of the 2008 non-conference schedule will be matching up against three 2007 regionally ranked teams and two teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season.
In her 26th season at the helm, coach Van De Walle will lead the Falcons against nine non-conference opponents for the first time while the Orange and Brown lead the all-times series against the remaining four non-conference opponents. The Falcons not only have an edge on non-conference opponents they have faced in the past but also own seven of 11 all-time series records against Mid-American Conference opponents. The Falcons will open the 2008 campaign with a 10-match road trip before the home opener.
"I think we have a great schedule," said Van De Walle. "We'll be playing four schools that made it into the NCAA tournament last year and nine that had at least 20 wins. It will be a good challenge for our young team to see this kind of competition."
The Falcons will open the 2008 season at the Florida State Invitational in Tallahassee, Florida, which will be only the second time Van De Walle and the squad will compete in the Sunshine State. The Orange and Brown will match up against three of Florida's finest for the first time in BGSU program history. The first match of the tournament and season will pit the Falcons against the Stetson Hatters (Aug. 29). On day two of the tournament the Falcons will take on host Florida State (Aug. 30) who was regionally ranked in 2007 and finish up against the 2007 MEAC Champions, Florida A&M.
The Orange and Brown will continue their road trip as they head to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the Temple Invitational where the Falcons will meet Fairfield (Sept. 5) and Army (Sept. 6) for the first time in program history. The Falcons will also take on host Temple (Sept. 6) for the first of two meetings this season. BG leads Temple 3-1 in the all-time series.
Coach Van De Walle and the Falcons will take a quick break from tournament play with a single match at Oakland (Sept. 9) looking to remain undefeated against the Grizzles as they are currently 11-0 in program history.
The Falcons will end their 10-match opening road trip at the Marquette Invitational in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The two-day tournament will pit the Falcons against Wisconsin-Green Bay (Sept. 12) for the first time in program history, Temple (Sept. 13) for the second time of the season and against host Marquette (Sept. 13).
The Falcons will open their 2008 season at home in Anderson Arena as they host the Best Western Invitational defending their 2007 Best Western Invitational Championship. The Falcons will welcome three non-conference opponents meeting all of them for the first time. They will open the tournament against Binghamton (Sept. 19) and play two matches the following day (Sept. 20) against Rice and Hofstra, one of the three 2007 regionally ranked opponents the Falcons will face during the 2008 season.
Coach Van De Walle and company will open the 2008 MAC schedule on the road against the 2007 MAC Tournament Champions. Miami (Sept. 25) followed by Northern Illinois (Sept. 27).
The Orange and Brown will open the month of October at home against two MAC East division foes Ohio (Oct. 3) and Kent State (Oct. 4).
The Falcons will then get back on the road for a five-match road stint facing MAC East division opponents Akron (Oct. 10) and Buffalo (Oct. 11) followed by MAC crossover play against West division opponents Central Michigan (Oct. 16) and Eastern Michigan (Oct. 17). The Orange and Brown will end their non-conference schedule against the 2007 Horizon League Champions, Cleveland State (Oct. 21).
BGSU will then return to Anderson Arena to host the MAC West division in a weekend series against Ball State (Oct. 24) and archrival Toledo (Oct. 25). The Falcons will then welcome Miami (Oct. 30) in their second match-up of the season and Western Michigan (Nov. 1).
Coach Van De Walle and the Falcons will wrap up the 2008 season with four MAC East division match-ups as they take on Kent State (Nov. 7) and Ohio (Nov. 8) on the road and then return home to take on Buffalo (Nov. 14) and Akron (Nov. 15).
"The MAC will be a battle with Western Michigan returning everyone and the East Division being as tough as ever with Miami, Ohio, Kent all being top three teams," said Van De Walle." There's never an easy night in the MAC, but that's what makes it fun."
The MAC Tournament begins Nov. 18 on campus sites, with the top eight teams advancing to Toledo, Ohio starting Nov. 21.
