By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With the 2017-18 school year approaching quicker than ever, Tennessee Tech volleyball head coach Dave Zelenock has announced the the team's 2017 schedule.
The Golden Eagles will open the year with four tournaments before heading into conference play. Last season, the Purple and Gold got off to its best start since the 2000 season when it went 3-0 at the Catamount Volleyball Classic.
Tech will kick things off at the Hampton Inn/Holly Springs Invitational at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C., on Aug. 25-26. TTU will face opponents of North Carolina Central, The Citadel, and host Campbell.
The Golden Eagles will then travel to Ohio for three separate tournaments to finish pre-conference season match-ups. The squad will first head to Ohio, to compete in the Akron Invitational at the University of Akron from Sept. 1-2. There, Tech will face La Salle, Loyola (Md.), and host Akron.
Next, Tech travels to Dayton, Ohio, to compete at Wright State University from Sept. 8-9, against West Virginia, Harvard, and host Wright State. Finally, the Golden Eagles close out tournament play with yet another event in Ohio, competing in the Blue/Gold Invitational on Sept. 15-16 against Youngstown State, New Mexico, and host Toledo.
"This year's schedule, we don't have as many name-games," Zelenock stated. "West Virginia is a monster and has a returning freshman, an All-American, and a transfer from the Pac-12 that is also very good. New Mexico finishes in the Top 25 every year so there is not anyone on our schedule that's a "give-me." A lot of coaches like to schedule those types of match-ups, but I don't because we have to win the OVC [Ohio Valley Conference] if we are going to get into the tournament.
"Playing these teams that maybe don't have the name recognition, but in the volleyball world are very well known, is what is going to prepare us best for the conference season. We have a couple big teams that are smaller and super fast and they are all going to test us. Our goal is always to come out of pre-conference with a winning record and I think we have a definite shot at that, but nothing is guaranteed."
With pre-conference tournaments in the books, the Golden Eagles will open the conference schedule at home versus Jacksonville State on Sept. 21. Last year, Tech opened up conference play at home against Eastern Kentucky where they topped the Colonels 3-1 to open OVC matchups on a high note.
"I think there are going to be a lot of changes this year in the OVC," Zelenock continued. "In the rankings there are a lot of things changing. Murray State just graduated everyone; SIUE lost their head coach, and those were the two teams in the finals last year. Belmont brings back everyone from two years ago, and Morehead lost probably the best outside in the conference to the SEC. I think there is going to be a lot of shakeup and a lot of question marks as to who is where this year.
"We are actually one of the more stable teams because we bring back mostly the same group and we get to have Taylor play this season. She didn't get to play last year, so no one has really seen her. For us, all the freshmen and sophomores are on the floor are still learning and taking their lumps. Once they are a little older and more experienced, I think we will be great."
After its home opener, Tech hits the road for a three games from Sept. 22-30, at UT Martin, Eastern Kentucky, and Morehead State. The Golden Eagles will then have a four-game home stand from Oct. 6-14, against Belmont, Tennessee State, Austin Peay, and reigning OVC Tournament Champion Murray State.
Following that, will be a three-game tilt on the road versus Eastern Illinois, SIUE, and Jacksonville State from Oct. 21-27 before returning home on Oct. 27-Nov. 4 to host Southeast Missouri, Morehead State, and Eastern Kentucky.
The Golden Eagles will then close out regular season matchups on the road at Tennessee State on Nov. 10 and Belmont on Nov. 11.
The 2017 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament is set for Nov. 16-18, with the top eight teams in the conference moving on to post-season play. The Golden Eagles will look to make tournament play this season, after narrowly missing out on postseason play last year.
Photo by Jim Dillon
