DAYTON - University of Dayton volleyball head coach Tim Horsmon has announced the team's 2018 schedule, highlighted by two home tournaments during the first four weeks of the season. Dayton is scheduled to play eight teams that qualified for the 2017 NCAA Tournament, including Regional Finalist Kentucky.
"Our fall schedule will be a challenging one for us, but in saying that we're also excited about how competitive it will be," said coach Horsmon. "I think our fans will see some great matches hosted at UD, and we obviously love playing in Frericks Center."
The Flyers will open their 2018 schedule at home August 24-25 with the Dayton Invitational. UD will host Marshall, Ball State and South Alabama for a total of six matches at Frericks Center.
Dayton will spend Labor Day weekend in Lexington, Kentucky, at Kentucky's Bluegrass Battle Aug. 31-Sept. 1. In addition to the host Wildcats, who finished 2017 ranked No. 6 in the nation, the Flyers will be squaring off against the Jayhawks of Kansas and the College of Charleston Cougars. Dayton's three matches at Kentucky will be played at UK's Memorial Coliseum.
#UDVB will host Miami (Ohio) for a mid-week match-up on Tuesday, Sept. 4, at Frericks Center.
On Sept. 7-8, Dayton will head to Pennsylvania for a three-match tournament at Pittsburgh. The host Panthers made it to the Second Round of last year's NCAA Tournament received votes in the final AVCA national poll. UD will also face Washington, who finished 2017 ranked 15th, and Kennesaw State, who earned the program's first-ever appearance in national post-season play a year ago.
Dayton will round out pre-conference play at home with its annual Flyer Invitational Sept. 14-15. Tennessee, Evansville and Ohio State will be visiting Frericks Center
"Our goal, as always, is to prepare for a good run in the A-10, but also play a schedule that allows us the possibility of earning an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament," Horsmon commented. "We feel like this schedule does that and will also get us ready for a run into the post season and to compete against some of the best teams in the country."
UD will open Atlantic 10 Conference play on the road with a trip to the Washington, D.C., area. Dayton is set to match-up against George Mason on Sept. 21 in Fairfax, Virginia, before heading to the nation's capital on Sept. 22 to take on George Washington. Davidson and VCU will be in Dayton the following weekend at the Flyers host the Wildcats on Sept. 28 and the Rams on Sept. 30.
October will open with a Pennsylvania swing at Dayton heads back to Pittsburgh to take on Duquesne Oct. 5 followed by a trip over to Philadelphia for a match at La Salle on Oct. 6. Dayton will return to Frericks Center for a three-match homestand kicking off on Oct. 12 against Fordham. Rhode Island will be in Dayton on Oct. 14 and Saint Louis arrives in the Gem City the following Friday, Oct. 19.
Dayton will return the trip to VCU and Davidson on Oct. 26 and 28 followed by a jaunt to St. Louis to take on the Billikens Nov. 2. UD will step out of league play for a single non-conference match against Xavier on Nov. 6 before closing out the regular season at home against La Salle and Duquesne Nov. 9 and 11.
The 2018 Atlantic 10 Volleyball Championship will be held in Kingston, R.I., and hosted by Rhode Island Nov. 16-18. The top six teams in league standings will qualify for the post-season event.
