Click here for the 2015 Volleyball Schedule
By Jocelyn VerVelde, Tennessee Tech Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech volleyball head coach Dave Zelenock has announced the team's 2015 schedule, which looks to challenge a young Golden Eagle squad. The season will open with four non-conference tournaments, including the first home tournament in over 10 years, where Tech will challenge a host of opponents from 11 different conferences, including the tough Southeastern Conference.
"As always when we build the schedule, the goal is variety," Zelenock said. "The Ohio Valley Conference has a lot of variety in how the game is played so getting prepared for that is the priority. We also want to go against teams bigger than us. We are a fairly big team so anytime we can go against teams that are physically bigger, it's fun."
Tech will open with its lone out-of-state tournament as the squad heads to Dayton, Ohio to face Evansville, Niagara, and host Wright State on Aug. 28-29.
The next three weekends will be spent in-state, with tournaments at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, at the University of Memphis, and for the first time in over a decade, the Golden Eagles will be hosting a home tournament.
"When comparing to other Tennessee schools, TTU isn't known for its volleyball, it's known for its academics, which are great," Zelenock remarked, "but we want to spread the word that we are here and we are building a program that the best kids in Tennessee want to be a part of. Last year's success has helped, but there are so many good teams in Tennessee already, we need to set ourselves apart. Our style of play, and how we are as a program, is what's different than most teams. Hopefully kids will start to see that and TTU will become a volleyball destination for years to come."
First up on the in-state tour is a three-match tournament at Tennessee. The Golden Eagles will open with the host Vols on Thursday, Sept. 4, and follow with UNC Greensboro on Sept. 5. Tech will close out the tournament against North Florida.
The Golden Eagles will then head to Memphis where they are slated to face some of the toughest competition of the season, Sept. 11-12. TTU will open with Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday, then face a top-30 program in Arkansas-Little Rock later in the day. TTU will then return to the court on Saturday to face host Memphis, a top-100 team, and Auburn, who falls just out of the top-100 at 103 in the final RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) of 2014.
"RPI is always something we are conscious of. Not only for us, but for the OVC's volleyball reputation," Zelenock commented. "We want everyone in the OVC to come into conference play undefeated, that only helps our conference RPI and helps turn the OVC into a multi-bid conference. For us, playing top teams is what you have to do; you take those swings at teams that are on paper better than you. Win or lose you took a shot and that's what we are all about."
"We have so many young kids in the program right now, I didn't want to put the best tournament at the beginning because I'm anticipating some growing pains as we figure out everyone's roles within the team. That being said, every weekend we expect to win. The expectation is that our group will get better each weekend so when we get to the OVC we are comfortable with a starting group and have our subs planned. The tournaments we are in are going to be very tough for us, but as a group it's the challenge we need to continue to improve."
The final non-conference tournament will be held in the Eblen Center as TTU will host the Golden Eagle Invitational presented by Hampton Inn, Sept. 18-19. The Golden Eagles will open against another top-100 program in Towson on Friday, and will follow with a Friday evening match against Western Carolina. On Saturday, the Golden Eagles will close out the tournament with a match against Idaho.
"As far as I know we haven't hosted a pre-conference tournament in over a decade," Zelenock accurately stated. "So bringing in quality teams from all over the country to Cookeville is great. For us, we get to sleep in our own beds and play in our gym a few more times. We have three very good teams coming to our gym and we will need the help of our fans to beat them. Towson is obviously the best team, but Idaho is sneaky good. They aren't a name yet, but they are very good and WCU is coming off a very good year. Most people try to stack their tournaments so they can go undefeated, but we have the chance to play three very good teams on our home court, one of them in the top-100, so we are excited about that."
The Golden Eagles, who went 9-7 in conference play last season, will then hit the road to open OVC action. Tech will take on Eastern Illinois and SIU Edwardsville on Sept. 25 and 26, for the opening weekend. The Golden Eagles will host eight home matches, including the opportunity to host the 2014 OVC Regular and Tournament Champions Murray State on Oct. 31.
Tech will host its final home match on Nov. 7, and will then hit the road prior to the post-season, visiting Jacksonville State (Nov. 10) and UT Martin (Nov. 14).
The OVC tournament is scheduled for Nov. 19-23 on the campus of the regular season champion.
"The OVC tournament and getting to the NCAA tournament are our primary goals every year," Zelenock said. "We think this schedule prepares us for the OVC, so we can make the tournament and from there anything can happen. We could come into conference play 0-13 or 13-0. Either way, I'd think it was good, because all that matters is getting in that top eight of the OVC by the end of the season."
