DAYTON - The University of Dayton volleyball team will open its 2019 schedule Friday with a 4:30 p.m. match-up against Texas A&M in the Flyers' first contest of the Louisville Cardinal Classic. UD is set to play a total of three matches this weekend at the Cardinals' L&N Federal Credit Union Arena on the campus of UofL.

Dayton is also scheduled to square off against No. 10 Florida Saturday at 4:30 p.m. followed by a 1 p.m. match against host No. 25 Louisville on Sunday.

About Dayton
Dayton, 23-8 overall and 12-2 in Atlantic 10 action, returns four starters from last year's A-10 Championship title team, including 2018 Rookie of the Year, Alli Papesh. Also returning for 2019 is 2018 AVCA Honorable Mention All-America setter/right-side hitter Brooke Westbeld, who posted five triple doubles which ranked second-most in all of NCAA DI. UD made the program's 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season after defeating A-10 regular-season champ VCU in five sets in the tournament title match.

Scouting Texas A&M
Texas A&M posted a 17-13 overall record and a 10-8 mark in conference play last season, finishing in a tie for fifth place in the SEC. The Aggies return five starters from its 2018 roster including 2019 Preseason All-SEC Team selection senior Hollann Hans. Sher finished last season ranked fourth in service aces and seventh in points in all of NCAA Division I.

Series Stuff
Friday's match will be the first meeting between Dayton and Texas A&M.

RPI Rankings
In the NCAA's final Rating Percentage Index (RPI) for the 2018 season, Dayton ranked 28th according to NCAA.com. Texas A&M came in at 81.  

Last Time Out
In its only exhibition match of the preseason, Dayton defeated 12th-ranked Pitt, 3-2 (25-21, 25-21, 22-25, 23-25, 19-17), at home last Saturday afternoon. The five-set marathon match was highlighted by sophomore Jamie Peterson's 30 kills in her return to the court after a two-year hiatus. Junior Brooke Westbeld posted a .727 hitting percentage with eight kills to go with her 30 assists and five digs in the win for the Flyers.

Flyer Facts
• Tim Horsmon is in his 11th season overall, his sixth since 2007, as head coach of the Flyers in 2019. His record at Dayton is 261-73 and his career win-loss mark sits at 437-237 in 20 seasons as a head coach. Horsmon is the program's second-winningest coach behind only R. Elaine Dreidame who amassed 310 wins 1970-79.
• Over the last 10 seasons (2009-2018), the Flyers have recorded a 130-12 (.916) mark in regular season Atlantic 10 Conference play, including a perfect 14-0 mark in 2016, 2015 and 2012 and a 15-0 record in 2010. UD suffered only one conference loss in 2017, 2014, 2011 and 2009.
• Dayton made its 19th-consecutive and 22nd overall appearance in the Atlantic 10 Championship in 2018. The Flyers have reached conference post-season play every year they have been a member of the A-10 except 1995 and 1999. UD holds a 27-10 record in league tournaments.
• Dayton has won the Atlantic 10 Regular Season title 13 times (2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2001, 1998). The Flyers have won the A-10 Championship title a league-record 12 times (2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003).
• In the program's 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, Dayton has reached the Second Round seven times and the Flyers hold a 7-13 all-time record in NCAA tourney matches.
• With two wins at the 2014 Bowling Green Hampton Inn Invitational, Dayton surpassed the 1,000-win mark as a program to become just the 13th NCAA DI team to attain that level of success. The Flyers currently rank 13th all-time in the Division I record book with an overall program tally of 1,131-590 (.657) over 49 seasons (1970).
• The Flyers finished the 2018 season with a 23-7 overall record and a 12-2 Atlantic 10 mark, finishing in second place in regular-season league play. 2018 is the program's 40th winning season and its 31st 20-win season.