Volleyball Releases 2018 Schedule

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The 2018 volleyball campaign will be Year One under new University of Memphis head coach Sean Burdette, and this fall, the Tigers return to a more-balanced schedule, which was released Friday.

After playing 20 of its 32 matches away from the Elma Roane Fieldhouse in 2017, the Tigers play a nearly-even number of matches at home (16) and on the road (18) this season. The following are highlights for the 2018 slate:

2018 VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

Memphis hosts two home tournaments again in 2018, after holding only one in 2017. The Tigers kick off their 2018 campaign with the Memphis Invitational at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse Aug. 24-25. Two weeks later (Sept. 7-8), Memphis hosts the Tiger Invitational. The Tigers play three matches in both round-robin tournaments.
The Tigers face eight teams that played in the 2017 postseason, including National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) title holder Ole Miss. The other seven 2017 postseason participants on this season's schedule are: Alabama A&M (NIVC), Arkansas State (NIVC), SMU (NIVC), Stephen F. Austin (NIVC), Temple (NIVC), UCF (NIVC) and Wichita State (NCAA).
Memphis adds two midweek matches back into its schedule in 2018. The Tigers host Alabama A&M Aug. 29 and travel to Ole Miss Sept. 11. The last time Memphis played midweek matches was in the 2013 campaign.
The Tigers make their first trip to Washington, D.C., in program history this fall. Memphis plays in a two-day tournament hosted by Georgetown and George Washington. Memphis travels to both campuses for matches while in the nation's capital. The Tigers' previous closest trip to Washington, D.C., came in 1995 to George Mason in Fairfax, Va., located approximately 20 miles outside the nation's capital.
Memphis returns to Martin, Tenn., for the first time since 2003. The Tigers are scheduled to play four matches in the UT Martin Tournament Aug. 31-Sept. 1.
For the sixth-straight season, Memphis opens American Athletic Conference play on the road. The Tigers begin their league slate Sept. 21-23 at Tulsa and defending conference champion Wichita State. Since joining The American in 2013, all of Memphis' conference openers have been road matches.
After the conference-opening weekend, the Tigers return to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse for five-straight home matches in league play. Memphis hosts USF Sept. 28, UCF Sept. 30, Tulane Oct. 5, Houston Oct. 12 and SMU Oct. 14.
Memphis has a new travel partner in conference play, pairing with Tulane for the fall. From 2014-16, Memphis did not have a league travel partner as a result of the odd number of teams (11). With the late addition of Wichita State in 2017, Memphis was paired with the Shockers to avoid a complete reworking of the conference schedule last season. Memphis and Tulane play in the Bluff City Oct. 5 and the Big Easy Nov. 21.
The Tigers close their 2018 home schedule the weekend of Nov. 9-11 with matches versus Connecticut and Temple. Senior Day ceremonies are scheduled prior to the Nov. 11 Temple match.

The Tigers enter 2018 with eight returnees, including three of its top-five kills leaders from a year ago in Hannah Flowers, Kelsea Bivins and Sarah Marlatt. Burdette welcomes five newcomers to the squad in freshmen Natalie Benson, Kaitlyn Gehler, Molly Murrihy and Meredith Wallace and transfer Anna Palmer.

University of Memphis Athletics

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Kelsea Bivins

Hannah Flowers

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