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 Junior Liz Rondone and the rest of the Catamounts will face a challenging schedule in 2008. |
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May 26, 2008
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina Head Volleyball Coach Stephanie Dragan today announced the 2008 schedule. Four tournaments highlight the non-conference schedule for the Catamounts.
Western Carolina opens the season at a tournament at the University of Kentucky on August 29. The first match of the tournament is with a Wisconsin squad that finished the 2007 season ranked 14th in the final AVCA poll. The Wildcat tournament will also feature match-ups with host Kentucky and Pittsburgh. The Catamounts will also face Stephen F. Austin in Lexington, prior to its match up with Wisconsin, however the match is not part of the tournament.
"Traveling to Kentucky to open the season against Wisconsin will be a challenge," Dragan admits. "We will also face UK and Pitt in the same weekend. Each athlete on our team will recognize or know athletes on the other teams there. They have played with them in high school and against them in club."
The following weekend, Western Carolina will compete in a tournament hosted by Illinois State. The Catamounts will square off against host Illinois State, Oakland and Western Michigan.
"We will travel to Bloomington, IL to play in Liz Rondone's hometown," Dragan said. "I promised each out of state athlete in the class of 2010 that we would play in their hometown. Liz is the last of the class to go home to play; it will be a special tournament for her."
Western Carolina's road swing of tournaments ends back in the state of North Carolina when the club travels to North Carolina State. The squad will take on William and Mary and host North Carolina State.
The first home match of the season, on September 11, will have a special meeting for Western Carolina in two regards as the Catamounts host in-state rival UNC Asheville. It will be the opening contest of the Third Annual Parkway Series and new assistant coach Talia Ogle will face her alma mater.
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"Hosting the Catamount Clash is always fun," Dragan said. "I love to showcase our incredible facilities and beautiful campus. We will have a competitive field and is always a fun event for all involved. Presbyterian will return from last year and we have added Arkansas State and Norfolk State."
There will be a new format when Western Carolina enters Southern Conference play as the teams will be divided into a North and South division. With the addition of Samford into the Southern Conference there will be six teams in each division. Western Carolina joins Appalachian State, UNC Greensboro, Elon, Chattanooga and Samford in the North Division while College of Charleston, Citadel, Furman, Wofford, Georgia Southern and Davidson make up the South Division.
"SoCon play will be in a new format this year, we will be divided into a North and South Division," Dragan said. "The North will be a very competitive division and it will be a real fight for one of the four slots into the conference tournament."
