Kansas Announces 2006 Schedule

May 17, 2006

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

University of Kansas head volleyball coach Ray Bechard announced Wednesday another challenging schedule for the Jayhawks in 2006. Coming off its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, KU will open its 32nd season of competition in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Aug. 25 and play a total of 10 non-conference contests before Big 12 play begins Sept. 13 at Nebraska.

Highlighting the Jayhawks’ non-conference schedule in 2006 are matches against Arkansas, BYU and Alabama. KU will open the season Aug. 25-26 at the 2006 Crimson Tide Invitational against Miami (FL), Alabama A&M and host Alabama. KU will play its first home match of the season Aug 29 against UMKC and compete in a tournament at Temple (Philadelphia, Pa.) with the Owls, Rutgers and Maine.

KU hosts its annual Jayhawk Classic Sept. 8-9 at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center and will host 2005 NCAA Tournament teams BYU and Arkansas. The Jayhawks’ schedule boasts 14 home matches in 2006 including 10 Big 12 contests.

In-state rival Kansas State comes to town Oct. 11 while national powerhouse Nebraska visits Horejsi on Senior Night (Nov. 22), which will honor seniors Jana Correa, Megan Hill, Jamie Mathewson and Dani Wittman. The Border Showdown continues on Nov. 18 when Missouri comes to Lawrence.

Kansas finished the 2005 season 15-15 overall and 7-13 in league play and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season under Bechard. The Jayhawks were ranked as high as 24th nationally and received votes in the USA Today/CSTV Coaches’ Poll for seven weeks in 2005.

“Early in our schedule we will face three NCAA Tournament teams in Alabama, BYU and Arkansas,” Bechard said. “Miami was an NCAA Sweet 16 team just a few years ago and we have one of the toughest Big 12 slates ever. It will be quite demanding, but we have to prepare ourselves in non-conference competition before opening up Big 12 play with Nebraska and Texas.”

“We have a lot of new players that will give us a different look next season,” Bechard added. “We had great intensity this spring day in and day out in practice and used the competition to really take it up a notch.”

View schedule.

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