Men’s Volleyball Announces 2019 Schedule

MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State University men's volleyball coach Joel Walton has released the team's 2019 schedule, highlighted by the Don Shondell Active Ankle Challenge and a trip to Hawaii for the Outrigger Tournament.

"I like this year's schedule because of the variety of teams we're playing. We're playing a very tough schedule with many top-15 ranked programs," said Walton. "We have a combination of good challenges at home and challenges on the road."

Ball State will open the year at home with three matches in a four-day span. The season and home opener will take place on Jan. 4 when Princeton comes to town. The Cardinals will take on New Jersey Institute of Technology the very next night before taking a break on Sunday and facing UC Irvine on Monday.

The first road trip of the year takes the Cardinals to the west coast where they will play at Stanford and at Brigham Young. BSU will also travel to the east coast for contests with Harvard and Sacred Heart.

"This is a schedule that truly is taking us from one end of the country to the other," Walton said. "From Harvard out in Boston all the way to Hawaii, and then the matches we're returning to Stanford and BYU are exciting matches. We're especially excited for that BYU match because it's a great place to play with the passion that the people at BYU have for men's volleyball. It will be a fun environment for our guys to play in."

The Don Shondell Active Ankle Challenge this year will feature California squads UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge. That competition will take place on Friday, Jan. 18, and Saturday, Jan. 19.

"I hope that Muncie will come out and support the Don Shondell Active Ankle Challenge this year, said Walton. "We've got some great teams participating in that, and it would mean a lot to have the community come out and show their support for those few nights."

Ball State will then open its MIVA conference schedule before taking a slight break to travel to Hawaii for the Outrigger Tournament. While in the islands, the Cardinals will face Pepperdine, Hawaii and King on March 7, 8 and 9.

"We weren't expecting to go to Hawaii this year, but it was a nice invitation to receive," Walton expressed. "We're looking forward to playing in that competition."

At the conclusion of the regular season and MIVA play, Ball State will set its sights on the MIVA tournament which opens on April 13. Should the Cardinals win that competition or position themselves high enough in the national rankings, the NCAA tournament will start on April 27 with a play-in match.

"Every win we get this year we will have earned," Walton said. "This schedule will help our guys be seasoned and understand what it takes to play at a high level. By the end of the year, whatever rank we hold and whatever position we stand in, will be what we've earned."

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