NEW ORLEANS — Seven matches against NAIA National Championship qualifiers from last season, including an October visit to defending national champion Lindsey Wilson, are among the highlights of the 2018 Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball schedule.
Pat Kendrick, who in her first season at XULA was voted the 2017 Louisiana Coach of the Year, announced the schedule Tuesday. It consists of 30 regular-season matches, 12 at home and 14 overall in an expanded Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.
The Gold Nuggets' matches against 2017 NAIA tourney qualifiers will be:
• Aug. 24 — opening day and the second match of the season — against Georgetown (Ky.) in the Mid-South Crossover Tournament at Bowling Green, Ky.
• Aug. 25 against Indiana Wesleyan in the Mid-South Crossover.
• Aug. 31 against Mobile in XULA's Big Easy Blastoff.
• Sept. 1 against Webber International in the Big Easy Blastoff.
• Sept. 8 at Mobile in its tournament.
• Oct. 12 at Lindsey Wilson, which was 35-0 last season.
• Oct. 13 at Campbellsville.
"We have put together a well-rounded schedule with a significant number of teams that have played on the national level," Kendrick said. "We also are looking forward to the challenge of defending our GCAC regular-season and tournament titles."
XULA will open the season Aug. 24 against Cumberlands and Georgetown in the Mid-South Crossover, then play its first home matches Aug. 31 against Point and Mobile in the Big Easy Blastoff. The GCAC opener will be Sept. 4 at Tougaloo. The Gold Nuggets' two conference city rivals, Dillard and SUNO, will be back-to-back opponents twice, including Sept. 15 (Dillard) and Sept. 17 (SUNO) at XULA's Convocation Center.
The GCAC Tournament will be Nov. 9-10, and SUNO's The Castle will be the venue for the second straight year. The Gold Nuggets seek their eighth straight GCAC regular-season and tournament championships.
NOTES: This is the 11th season of XULA volleyball . . . XULA was 23-3 overall, 12-0 GCAC in 2017 . . . Rust will join the GCAC this season, giving the league eight members for the first time since 2014-15 . . . First-time opponents will be Campbellsville, Cumberlands, Indiana Wesleyan, Life, Point and Webber International . . . Alcorn State (Sept. 8 at Mobile's tourney) will be XULA's first NCAA Division I opponent since Mississippi Valley in 2015. The Lady Braves are on the schedule for the first time since 2011 . . . XULA won 82 of its last 84 GCAC regular-season matches, including the last 13.Xavier University of Louisiana 2018 Women's Volleyball Schedule
Aug. 24 (Fri.): Cumberlands, 4 p.m. (Mid-South Crossover Tournament, Bowling Green, Ky.)
Aug. 24 (Fri.): Georgetown (Ky.), 8 p.m. (Mid-South Crossover Tournament, Bowling Green, Ky.)
Aug. 25 (Sat.): Pikeville, 10 a.m. (Mid-South Crossover Tournament, Bowling Green, Ky.)
Aug. 25 (Sat.): Indiana Wesleyan, 2 p.m. (Mid-South Crossover Tournament, Bowling Green, Ky.)
Aug. 31 (Fri.): POINT, 11 a.m. (Big Easy Blastoff)
Aug. 31 (Fri.): MOBILE, 7 p.m. (Big Easy Blastoff)
Sept. 1 (Sat.): MARTIN METHODIST, 3 p.m. (Big Easy Blastoff)
Sept. 1 (Sat.): WEBBER INTERNATIONAL, 7 p.m. (Big Easy Blastoff)
Sept. 4 (Tue.) • at Tougaloo, 6 p.m.
Sept. 7 (Fri.): Life, 2 p.m. (University of Mobile Invitational, Mobile, Ala.)
Sept. 7 (Fri.): William Carey, 6 p.m. (University of Mobile Invitational, Mobile, Ala.)
Sept. 8 (Sat.): Alcorn State, 10 a.m. (University of Mobile Invitational, Mobile, Ala.)
Sept. 8 (Sat.): at Mobile, 2 p.m. (University of Mobile Invitational, Mobile, Ala.)
Sept. 11 (Tue.): LOYOLA (N.O.), 6 p.m.
Sept. 15 (Sat.): • DILLARD, 1 p.m.
Sept. 17 (Mon.): • SUNO, 6 p.m.
Sept. 22 (Sat.) • at Philander Smith, 1 p.m.
Sept. 24 (Mon.) • at Rust, 6 p.m.
Sept. 29 (Sat.) • at Edward Waters, 1 p.m. EDT
Oct. 1 (Mon.) • at Talladega, 6 p.m.
Oct. 6 (Sat.) • at SUNO, 1 p.m.
Oct. 8 (Mon.) • at Dillard, 6 p.m.
Oct. 12 (Fri.) at Lindsey Wilson, 5 p.m.
Oct. 13 (Sat.) Fisk, 10 a.m. EDT (at Campbellsville, Ky.)
Oct. 13 (Sat.) at Campbellsville, 2 p.m. EDT
Oct. 20 (Sat.): • RUST, 1 p.m.
Oct. 22 (Mon.): • PHILANDER SMITH, 6 p.m.
Oct. 27 (Sat.): • TALLADEGA, 1 p.m.
Oct. 29 (Mon.): • EDWARD WATERS, 6 p.m.
Nov. 3 (Sat.): • TOUGALOO, 1 p.m.
Nov. 9-10 (Fri.-Sat.): Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament at SUNO's The Castle, New Orleans, TBA
Nov. 17 (Sat.): NAIA National Championship opening round at campus sites, TBA
Nov. 27-Dec. 1 (Tue.-Sat.): NAIA National Championship final site at Sioux City, Iowa, TBA
Home matches in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS
All times are Central except where noted
Schedules are subject to change
Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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