University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Release 2016 Volleyball Schedule
July 15, 2016 | Volleyball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee volleyball head coach Rob Patrick announced the team's 2016 fall season schedule Friday.
The 31-match schedule features 12 home matches at Thompson-Boling Arena, including a two-day tournament to open the season Aug. 26-27. Non-conference play also includes tournaments at Cleveland State, Western Michigan and George Washington before the Vols open the 18-match SEC schedule on Sept. 23 against Mississippi State.
"I'm very excited about the schedule we put together for this year's team as it will test us early in preseason with some very physical and well-coached programs," said Patrick, who is in his 20th season as head coach at Tennessee. "I'm confident that our preseason matches will prepare us very well for our conference season as I believe the conference as a whole will continue to improve from last year, both in the physicality of the teams and their experience."
Cincinnati, Louisiana Monroe and MTSU are in the field for the season-opening Tennessee Classic. Tennessee open the schedule Aug. 26 against Cincinnati at 7 p.m. The following day, they play Louisiana Monroe at noon and MTSU at 7 p.m.
The SEC volleyball television schedule will be released later this summer. The Vols had six nationally televised matches last year between ESPNU and the SEC Network, plus additional matches streamed online via SEC Network+.
The Vols are coming off a 21-12 season, marking the team's first 20-win season in three years and 22nd in program history. Tennessee graduated just two seniors off last year's roster -- starting setter Lexi Dempsey and defensive specialist Meghan Hatcher -- and return five starters plus senior libero Bridgette Villano.
Returning starters include senior outside hitter Bri Holmes, senior middle blocker Raina Hembry, junior outside hitter Kanisha Jimenez, sophomore middle hitter Erica Treiber (2015 SEC All-Freshman Team) and sophomore defensive specialist Brooke Schumacher.
2016 Tennessee Volleyball Schedule
All times Eastern
Tennessee Classic (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Aug. 26 - Cincinnati (7 p.m.)
Aug. 27 - Louisiana Monroe (noon)
Aug. 27 - MTSU (7 p.m.)
Cleveland State Tournament (Cleveland, Ohio)
Sept. 2 - vs. Eastern Michigan (2:30 p.m.)
Sept. 2 - at Cleveland State (7 p.m.)
Sept. 3 - at Kent State (6 p.m., Kent, Ohio)
Western Michigan Tournament (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
Sept. 9 - at Western Michigan (10 a.m.)
Sept. 9 - vs. Milwaukee (5 p.m.)
Sept. 10 - vs. Xavier (noon)
George Washington Tournament (Washington, D.C.)
Sept. 16 - vs. Northern Illinois (4 p.m.)
Sept. 17 - vs. James Madison (10:30 a.m.)
Sept. 17 - at George Washington (7:30 p.m.)
Sept. 23 - Mississippi State (7 p.m., Knoxville, Tenn.)
Sept. 25 - Georgia (1:30 p.m., Knoxville, Tenn.)
Sept. 28 - at South Carolina (9 p.m., Columbia, S.C.)
Oct. 2 - at Florida (noon, Gainesville, Fla.)
Oct. 5 - at Troy (7 p.m., Troy, Ala.)
Oct. 9 - at Kentucky (2 p.m., Lexington, Ky.)
Oct. 14 - Ole Miss (7 p.m., Knoxville, Tenn.)
Oct. 16 - Arkansas (1:30 p.m., Knoxville, Tenn.)
Oct. 23 - at Mississippi State (3 p.m., Starkville, Miss.)
Oct. 28 - at Alabama (7 p.m., Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Oct. 30 - Auburn (1:30 p.m., Knoxville, Tenn.)
Nov. 4 - Missouri (7 p.m., Knoxville, Tenn.)
Nov. 6 - at Texas A&M (2:30 p.m., College Station, Texas)
Nov. 11 - at Ole Miss (noon, Oxford, Miss.)
Nov. 13 - at Arkansas (4 p.m., Fayetteville, Ark.)
Nov. 16 - Texas A&M (6 p.m., Knoxville, Tenn.)
Nov. 20 - LSU (4 p.m., Knoxville, Tenn.)
Nov. 23 - Kentucky (9 p.m., Knoxville, Tenn.)
Nov. 26 - at Missouri (7 p.m., Columbia, Mo.)
