Ball State University Athletics
Women?s Volleyball Releases 2009 Schedule
May 22, 2009 | Women's Volleyball
Click Here For Complete 2009 Women's Volleyball Schedule
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to the hardwood floor Friday, August 28, when it opens the 2009 season versus instate rival and last year's NCAA Regional Semifinalist Purdue, as announced today by third-year head coach Dave Boos who released the team's official schedule for the upcoming season.
“The program is excited for the 2009 season,” said Boos. “With our entire starting line-up back from last fall, it should be an eventful year.”
After opening the season versus the Boilermakers, the Cardinals continue play in the Mortar Board Premier Tournament, hosted by Purdue, with matches versus NCAA Tournament participant Dayton and Coastal Carolina (Aug. 29). Ball State will then kick off its 2009 home slate with the Active Ankle Challenge (Sept. 4-5), which features matches versus IPFW, NCAA Tournament participant Louisville and SIU Edwardsville.
Ball State will also compete in the Best Western ISU Classic hosted by Indiana State (Sept. 11-12), travel to non-conference foe IUPUI (Sept. 15) and play in the Towson Invitational (Sept. 18-19), before opening its 2009 Mid-American Conference schedule with home matches versus Northern Illinois (Sept. 26) and 2008 NCAA Regional Semifinalist and two-time defending MAC West Division Champion Western Michigan (Sept. 27).
BSU's first road MAC test will come the following weekend, when it visits Central Michigan (Oct. 2) and Eastern Michigan (Oct. 3). Ball State's 16-match league schedule concludes with a Nov. 14 showdown at Akron. Play in the 2009 MAC Tournament gets underway Nov. 17 with first-round action at campus sites. Tournament play continues Nov. 20-22 at the SeaGate Centre in Toledo, Ohio. The winner of the MAC Tournament earns the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament which begins Dec. 3.
Last season, the MAC sent three teams to the NCAA Tournament, as Ohio won the league tournament and Miami and Western Michigan received at-large bids. Miami and Ohio both lost in the first round, while WMU advanced to the regional semifinals where it was knocked out by eventual champion Penn State.
The Ball State women's volleyball team, which returns all six starters and its libero from last season, finished the 2008 campaign with a 12-21 overall record, including a 6-10 MAC mark. BSU earned the No. 7 in the MAC Tournament, posting a first round victory over No. 10 Eastern Michigan, before falling to No. 2 seed Ohio in quarterfinal action.
