The FGCU volleyball team, on the heels of its best season in program history, will commence its 2019 schedule with three matches in the Homewood Suites Fort Myers Classic in Alico Arena Aug. 30-31.
Within the first several weeks of the season, the Eagles will face six teams that finished within the top 100 of the final RPI last year - No. 8 Kentucky, No. 10 Central Florida, No. 68 Kennesaw State, No. 71 Indiana, No. 75 Florida Atlantic, No. 79 Miami (Fla.) and No. 98 South Florida.
"This is going to be an exciting year for FGCU volleyball, and the chance to kick things off at home is a big plus for our team," FGCU head coach Matt Botsford said. "2018 was such a magical season for our program, and I know there are a lot of local supporters who are eager to celebrate last year's successes while also getting an early glimpse at this talented group."
The Green and Blue went 27-7 last year, won the program's fourth A-SUN regular season championship behind a 15-1 record, knocked off defending champion Kennesaw State in the A-SUN tournament championship match on the road and upset 21st-ranked and 13th-seeded UCF in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. In fact, last year's team will be recognized prior to the Aug. 30 matchup against Akron at 7 p.m.
The premier matchup in the Homewood Suites Fort Myers Classic will be against Bryant, who went 22-13 last year, won its first-ever Northeast Conference (NEC) title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 2 Minnesota in the opening round. The Bulldogs, who will return a pair of all-conference selections in junior Erika Ward and sophomore Caroline Kennedy, will square off against FGCU at 11 a.m. on Aug. 31.
Homewood Suites Fort Myers Classic schedule (Fort Myers, Fla.)
Aug. 30 - San Diego State vs Akron, 10:30 a.m.
Aug. 30 - Bryant vs San Diego State, 4 p.m.
Aug. 30 - FGCU vs Akron, 7 p.m.
Aug. 31 - FGCU vs Bryant, 11 a.m.
Aug. 31 - Bryant vs Akron, 4 p.m.
Aug. 31 - FGCU vs San Diego State, 7 p.m.
Following that, FGCU will head to Coral Gables Sept. 6-7 to compete in the Hurricane Invitational, where they will face South Florida, Auburn and George Washington. Of the three matches, USF finished with the best season last year, compiling a 20-12 record and losing in the first round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) Tournament. The Eagles swept a four-set scrimmage, 25-18, 25-19, 25-16, 25-23, against USF last year inside Alico Arena.
Hurricane Invitational Schedule (Coral Gables, Fla.)
Sept. 6 - South Florida, 11 a.m.
Sept. 6 - Auburn, 5 p.m.
Sept. 7 - George Washington, 3 p.m.
The road swing will continue in Lexington, Ky. Sept. 13-14 in the Wildcat Classic, which should provide the toughest part of the non-conference schedule as FGCU will face Indiana, Kentucky and Cleveland State. Those three teams combined to finish 59-32 last year, led by Kentucky's 26-5 finish and trip to the Sweet 16. The Wildcats return three key players - Leah Edmond, a junior outside hitter who is the reigning SEC player of the year, Madison Lilley, a sophomore setter who was an AVCA Second Team All-American, and Gabby Curry, an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and the SEC Libero of the Year in 2018.
Wildcat Classic Schedule (Lexington, Ky.)
Sept. 13 - Indiana, 10 a.m.
Sept. 13 - Kentucky, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 14 - Cleveland State, 1 p.m.
The final big weekend of the non-conference season takes place Sept. 20-21 in the Sunshine State Challenge in Orlando, Fla. The competition doesn't get any easier for the Green and Blue as they'll take on Miami, Central Florida and Florida Atlantic, who combined to finish 61-23 last year. FGCU swept Miami and Florida Atlantic last year, and the win over the Hurricanes represented the program's first-ever road victory over a Power 5 school. The UCF matchup will represent a rematch of last year's first round meeting in the NCAA Tournament where the Eagles won a five-set thriller after losing a pair of regular season meetings. FAU is led by eighth-year head coach Fernanda Nelson, a former assistant coach with the Green and Blue who led her team to a 21-7 finish and a Conference USA quarterfinal appearance in 2018.
Sunshine State Challenge Schedule (Orlando, Fla.)
Sept. 20 - Miami (Fla.), 10 a.m.
Sept. 20 - UCF, 7 p.m.
Sept. 21 - Florida Atlantic, 1:30 p.m.
FGCU's non-conference schedule will later conclude with an Oct. 22 home tilt against Bethune-Cookman, who went 16-16 last year for the program's best season since 2004.
"Overall our pre-conference schedule is ambitious and tough," Botsford said. "That continues to be a priority for our program as we look to establish ourselves among the nation's top teams. In an effort to grow collectively, we need to challenge ourselves and this season will provide that opportunity. We will be playing six top RPI 100 teams, two of which finished last year with top 10 RPI rankings. With three road tournaments against high level competition, I think we will be well prepared for A-SUN play."
The 16-match conference schedule will feature several key home matchups - Sept. 27 vs North Alabama (post-match pizza for fans while supplies last), Sept. 29 vs Lipscomb (the Bisons have won three of the past five A-SUN regular season championships), Oct. 11 vs Jacksonville (Pink out, Cancer Awareness Night), Oct. 13 vs Kennesaw State (rematch of last year's A-SUN tournament championship match), Oct. 29 vs Liberty (Halloween Costume Contest) and Nov. 3 vs North Florida (regular season home finale).
FGCU will also host this year's A-SUN tournament Nov. 21-23. The six-team event will decide the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
2019 Volleyball Promo Schedule
Aug. 30 vs Akron - 2018 A-SUN championship celebration (white out)
Aug. 31 vs Bryant - Free Dunkin' Donuts while supplies last (blue out)
Aug. 31 vs San Diego State - Stars and Stripes Night (blue out)
Sept. 27 vs North Alabama - Free post-match pizza (blue out)
Sept. 29 vs Lipscomb - Azul's Peeps Kickoff Party and Family Day (white out)
Oct. 11 vs Jacksonville - Cancer Awareness Night (pink out)
Oct. 13 vs Kennesaw State - Beach Bash in The Nest (white out)
Oct. 19 vs NJIT - Alumni Night
Oct. 22 vs Bethune-Cookman - Eagles Bingo Night
Oct. 29 vs Liberty - Eagles Dig Halloween Night, costume contest and free candy (green out)
Nov. 1 vs Stetson - Senior Night
Nov. 3 vs North Florida - We are FGCU Day (green out)
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