KU Volleyball Announces 2009 Schedule

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June 11, 2009

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

2009 Kansas Volleyball Schedule

Six NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago highlight the University of Kansas volleyball’s 2009 schedule. The Jayhawks’ season gets under way Aug. 28-29 in the Middle Tennessee State Tournament.

In Murfreesboro, Tenn., KU will face host Middle Tennessee State, which made its third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2008 and received votes in the final AVCA poll. The Jayhawks will also go up against Xavier and Murray State. Xavier finished 16-15 in 2008 but made three straight postseason appearances from 2005-07. Kansas and Murray State will be meeting for the first time in volleyball history at the tournament.

The Jayhawks then open their 14-match home season Sept. 4-5 during their annual Jayhawk Invitational. KU will welcome Lipscomb, Creighton and another NCAA participant in Florida International. Lipscomb went 21-11 last season, a program record for victories, and lost in the Atlantic Sun Tournament championship game to just miss an automatic bid to postseason play. FIU received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after going 28-6 in regular season play.

Kansas will play wrap up its early season tournaments at the Arkansas Tournament, Sept. 11-12, where it will meet North Texas (6-25), Jacksonville State (10-19) and Arkansas (7-23).

KU then kicks off its Big 12 Conference schedule at Border Showdown rival Missouri on Sept. 16 before hosting Oklahoma on Sept. 23 in the Jayhawks’ conference home opener.

The Jayhawks’ home conference schedule is highlighted by matches versus 2008 NCAA Tournament teams Iowa State on Oct. 12, Texas on Oct. 14, Kansas State on Nov. 11 and Nebraska on Nov. 21. All four teams also finished with a top 20 ranking in the final AVCA poll last season.

Kansas will also host UMKC on Oct. 27 in an annual nonconference meeting.

“We will face some talented teams from highly-competitive conferences in tournament play early in the season to get us ready for league play,” head coach Ray Bechard said. “The Big 12 has proved that it is one of the best conferences in the nation, and we look forward to finishing in the top-half of the league and making a run for postseason play.”

KU finished 13-16 overall in 2008 and returns five starters plus its libero from a year ago.