Colorado State University Announces 2011 Volleyball Schedule
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Coming off of back-to-back Mountain West Conference championships and in search of a 17th consecutive season with at least 20 wins and an NCAA tournament berth, the CSU volleyball program announced its 2011 schedule on Tuesday.
As has become commonplace for the Rams, the 2011 schedule will prove to be one of the most challenging in the nation, as CSU is slated to take on top opponents from the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12, and all told the team will play at least six matches against opponents who competed in the 2010 NCAA tourney.
The Rams will waste little time jumping right into one of the most challenging parts of the schedule in the opening weeks of the season.
For the second straight year, Head Coach Tom Hilbert’s squad will head deep into SEC country for an early season tournament. Last year, CSU posted a 2-1 mark at Florida’s Campus USA Credit Union Invitational, and this year will head to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Arkansas Invitational. The Rams open the season against the host Razorbacks on Aug. 26 before taking on their first NCAA tournament opponent in Middle Tennessee State and closing the tourney against McNeese State.
Before returning home, the Rams will make a stop to take on Hilbert’s alma mater, the Oklahoma Sooners, in Norman, Okla. Oklahoma closed the 2010 season ranked 21st nationally by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
The Rams-Sooners matchup also marks the first of two consecutive matches against Sweet 16 opponents for the Rams, as the team will open up its home slate just four days later, playing host to perennial power Nebraska, who finished seventh nationally in 2010, at Moby Arena on Sept. 2.
“We are extremely excited to be able to bring a team the caliber of Nebraska to Moby Arena,” said Hilbert. “We know that the Moby faithful will come out in full force, and I think it will be a great match for fans of both programs.”
The Rams conclude the grueling stretch Sept. 3, hosting the 2010 America East Champion Albany Great Danes.
CSU then hosts the second annual Rams Volleyball Classic presented by Poudre Valley Health System, Sept. 8-10. The tourney will include an exhibition matchup against Nova KBM Maribor (Slovenia) as well as tough battles against Wichita State and in-state rival Northern Colorado.
The Rams head south to face the Denver Pioneers on Sept. 16, and pick up Mountain West action the following week against Air Force (Sept. 22) and Boise State (Sept. 24) for the first time as a conference opponent.
Following a quick match out of conference to host Seattle on Oct. 6, the Rams resume league play Oct. 8 at Wyoming and take on 2010 second-place finisher New Mexico on Oct. 13. TCU visits Fort Collins on Oct. 15, followed by San Diego State (Oct. 27) and UNLV (Oct. 29) before the Rams close their home MW schedule against arch-rival Wyoming on Nov. 4. The Rams conclude the MW regular season with a big matchup against the New Mexico Lobos in Albuquerque, N.M., on Nov. 12.
The 2011 MW championships, the first conference tournament since 2007, will be held Nov. 16-18 in Albuquerque, N.M., with the winner earning the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.
The Rams then close the regular season with one final non-conference matchup at New Mexico State.
• Go Rams! •
