Rice Owls Announce 2008 VB Schedule

HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 9, 2008) Rice University has finalized its 2008 volleyball schedule as announced by fourth-year head coach Genny Volpe. The 2008 schedule features four in-season tournaments beginning with the Mizuno Invitational hosted by Rice (Aug. 29-30). The Owls also play in the LSU Tiger Classic (Sept. 5-6), the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack Invitational (Sept. 12-13), and at the Bowling Green Best Western Invitational (Sept. 19-20).

"Once again it is a challenging schedule, but this team is ready for it and there are a lot of opportunities for significant wins," comments Volpe. "It is a balanced non-conference schedule and with an experience group returning we should have success."

The Owls will again play all of their home matches in Fox Gymnasium, as the renovation of Autry Court continues. Admission is free for all home matches.

Five opponents this season were in the NCAA Championship a year ago in Michigan, LSU, Oklahoma, Hofstra, and Tulsa, while three were ranked in the top 25 (Michigan, LSU, and Oklahoma).

Michigan, Northwestern State, Louisiana-Lafayette, and UT-San Antonio make up this year's field for the Mizuno Invitational. The Owls play at Sam Houston State (Sept. 2) before heading to Baton Rouge, La. for the LSU Tiger Classic, in which the Owls will face LSU, Louisiana Tech, and Southeast Missouri.

In the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack Invitational, Rice will play Oklahoma, Creighton, and SFA. Hofstra, Binghamton, and Bowling Green will be the Owl opponents at the BGSU Best Western Invitational.

Rice opens up its fourth season of action in Conference USA on the road at UTEP (Sept. 26) and at Tulane (Sept. 28).

The Owls' first home C-USA matches are vs. SMU (Oct. 3) and Tulsa (Oct. 5). Rice then hosts McNeese State on Tuesday, Oct. 7 before going to Marshall (Oct. 10) and to ECU (Oct. 12).

Southern Miss kick-starts a five-match homestand on Oct. 17, followed by UCF (Oct. 18), Houston (Oct. 21), Tulane (Oct. 24), and UTEP (Oct. 26). Rice concludes the month of October at Tulsa on Oct. 31.

The Owls are then at SMU (Nov. 2), host UAB (Nov. 7) and Memphis (Nov. 9), and completes C-USA action at Houston on Nov. 13.

Following the Conference USA Championship in Memphis (Nov. 20-23) the Owls host TCU on Nov. 28.

The NCAA Championship action gets underway on Dec. 2-4 with the NCAA Final Four taking place in Omaha, Neb., (Dec. 16-18).