Robert Morris Volleyball Team Announces 2012 Schedule
Colonials to face five distinct teams from 'BCS conferences'
Moon Township, Pa. – July 30, 2012 – The Robert Morris University volleyball team will play 33 regular-season matches and meet seven schools for the first time in program history in the 2012 season under third-year head coach Dale Starr.
RMU will play five distinct teams from ‘BCS conferences’ during the course of the upcoming campaign, which will be its highest such number since the 2003 season. The Colonials will face a Big 12 school for the first time in program history and an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) squad for just the second time in school history.
Robert Morris will compete in four tournaments during the opening weeks of the season, including serving as the co-host of the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational for the fifth time in six years.
For the second straight season, the Colonials will commence with their slate away from home as they participate in the Villanova Classic Friday, Aug. 24, and Saturday, Aug. 25. RMU will get the season underway by facing New Hampshire Friday at 5:00 p.m. In doing so, the Colonials will be opening a season on the earliest date ever in a calendar year in the history of the program. Robert Morris will then conclude the event Saturday with matches against an ACC opponent, seven-time NCAA Tournament participant Maryland, and a BIG EAST opponent, Villanova, at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively. This trio of matches will represent the first time in school history that the Colonials have faced each of these three opponents.
With its first tournament under its belt, RMU will return to western Pennsylvania to open the home portion of its schedule as it plays three matches in the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational. The Colonials will play their home opener Friday, Aug. 31, against Bucknell at 4:00 p.m. RMU will complete the tournament the following day with matchups against Norfolk State and Providence at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., respectively.
RMU will take a short break from tournament action Tuesday, Sept. 4, as it looks to knock off Youngstown State on the road for the second consecutive season.
Robert Morris will then compete in the Maddie Bingaman Tournament Sept. 7-8. The Colonials will meet host UMBC and Howard Friday before facing 16-time NCAA Tournament participant Colorado and James Madison Saturday. The Colonials will be facing the Buffaloes, a Pac-12 foe, for the first time in program history.
The Colonials will meet West Virginia in their final non-conference home match of the season Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 7:00 p.m. It will be the 10th season in the last 13 years that the programs have met but the first time the Colonials have hosted the Mountaineers since 2007.
RMU will close the tournament portion of its schedule in the middle of September with a visit to uncharted waters. The Colonials will play three matches Sept. 14-15 in an event hosted by Stephen F. Austin, which is believed to be the first time in program history that the Colonials will play in the state of Texas. RMU will meet Southern Miss Friday before matching up with Stephen F. Austin and Northwestern State Saturday. Robert Morris’ matches with the Golden Eagles, the Lumberjacks and the Lady Demons will all be the first such meetings in program history.
With 15 non-conference matches under its belt, Robert Morris will commence with Northeast Conference (NEC) play. The Colonials will play a double round-robin within the league for the fourth consecutive season, an attribute which should bode well for RMU as the Colonials have a winning all-time mark against every other NEC school and sport a cumulative record of 165-45 (.786) against this octet of schools.
Robert Morris will open NEC play by hosting Bryant Saturday, Sept. 22, on a single-match weekend. The Colonials will head out on the road the following week to take on both Central Connecticut State (Sept. 29) and Quinnipiac (Sept. 30).
RMU will open October with a three-match homestand in a span of five days. The Colonials will host Saint Francis (Pa.) Wednesday, Oct. 3, before meeting St. Francis (N.Y.) and LIU Brooklyn Oct. 6-7, respectively.
Robert Morris will open a four-match roadtrip by finishing the first half of the conference slate by traveling to defending NEC champion Sacred Heart (Oct. 13) and Fairleigh Dickinson (Oct. 14). RMU will then make its return trip to Bryant Saturday, Oct. 20.
Robert Morris will take a step out of league play Tuesday, Oct. 23, by riding down the road to face Duquesne, marking the 15th consecutive season in which the Colonials and Dukes have met.
RMU will host Central Connecticut State (Oct. 27) and Quinnipiac (Oct. 28) before traveling to Saint Francis (Pa.) for a midweek match (Oct. 31).
The Colonials will host Sacred Heart Saturday, Nov. 3, before welcoming Fairleigh Dickinson for their regular-season home finale Sunday, Nov. 4.
With its home slate complete, Robert Morris will conclude the regular season with three road matches, the first of which will come against local rival Pittsburgh. The Colonials will head down the road to take on the Panthers Wednesday, Nov. 7, and will be looking for their second consecutive win over their BIG EAST foe after knocking them off for the first time in school history in 2011.
RMU will close out the regular season with matches at St. Francis (N.Y.) and LIU Brooklyn Nov. 10-11, respectively.
The NEC Tournament, which is hosted by the league’s regular-season champion, will feature the top four teams in the conference and be held Saturday, Nov. 17, and Sunday, Nov. 18.
Robert Morris qualified for its 13th-consecutive NEC Tournament in 2011, extending the league's longest active streak, as the Colonials have now posted a winning NEC mark in 13 straight seasons, a conference record for any member past or present. RMU also had one its student-athletes, Hannah Veith, become the first player ever from the NEC to win a National Player of the Week honor.
