2024 Tennessee Tech Volleyball Schedule
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team is geared up and ready to attack another season under the direction of head coach Jeannette Phillips, as the seventh-year leader of the Golden Eagles unveiled the program's 2024 schedule.
A total of 30 matches comprise the newest test for the Tech crew, one that has locked down at least 13 wins in each of the past three seasons, the longest stretch by the team since 1997-99. The Golden Eagles have also boasted at least nine victories in Ohio Valley Conference action in each of the past five years, a program record.
In 2024, the purple and gold will prepare for the conference slate with four tournaments to test its talent. Following the non-conference portion of the year, Tech will tackle league play at the end of September, vying for its fourth consecutive bid to the OVC Tournament and fifth in the past six seasons.
"This season is set up to be very exciting," Phillips expressed. "We are always looking forward to a new season and a fresh start, but with so much experience returning, there should be a lot of fire power presented on the court."
A duo of All-OVC performers returns to lead the 2024 edition of the Golden Eagle squad, with two-time First Team outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen back for her senior campaign. Joining her as the quarterback of the offense is the 2022 OVC Setter of the Year, Jordan Karlen, who battled through injury last season and still earned a selection to the OVC Second Team.
The Golden Eagles officially embark on their newest quest at the end of August, wrapping up the month with a pair of in-state battles at the Carrie Yerty Classic. After squaring off with Austin Peay and host Memphis on Friday, Aug. 30, the purple and gold will finish off the first weekend of play with a Saturday, Aug. 31 affair with Mississippi Valley State.
Moving into September, Tech will hit the road again, this time heading east for the Charlotte Invitational. After opening the event with the 49ers on Friday, Sept. 6, the Cookeville crew will take on Towson later in the day before calling it a trip on Saturday, Sept. 7 with a cup of coffee against Delaware State.
Continuing with tradition, the purple and gold returns to Cookeville the following week to host the annual Golden Eagle Invitational presented by Holiday Inn of Cookeville. A pair of tilts on Friday, Sept. 13 against Nicholls and West Georgia open play for the home squad while a Saturday, Sept. 14 bout against Radford will bring an end to TTU's yearly tournament.
Putting a cap on the tournament slate for the year at the Greensboro Invitational, the Tech crew heads back out east for a pair of match-ups on Friday, Sept. 20 against UNCG and Marshall. The Golden Eagles will call it a weekend on Saturday, Sept. 21 following a morning meeting with Georgetown.
A package of 18 OVC matches makes up the conference portion of the year, with the purple and gold scheduled to take on each of the other 10 league foes at least once. Friday, Sept. 27 features the first league date of the year for Tech, with an in-state visit to Tennessee State on the docket. The Golden Eagles return home to Cookeville on Saturday, Sept. 28, playing host to Morehead State.
The remainder of the conference slate will represent a more familiar format for Tech fans, as Tech will face every other OVC team twice, either in the comfort of the Hooper Eblen Center or on the road. Making up the rest of the road schedule for the Golden Eagles are trips to Lindenwood (Thursday, Oct. 10 & Friday, Oct. 11), Eastern Illinois (Friday, Oct. 18 & Saturday, Oct. 19), Southeast Missouri (Friday, Nov. 1 & Saturday, Nov. 2), and UT Martin (Tuesday, Nov. 19 & Wednesday, Nov. 20).
As for the remaining home matches, Tech will tango with Western Illinois (Thursday, Oct. 3 & Friday, Oct. 4), Little Rock (Friday, Oct. 25 & Saturday, Oct. 26), SIUE (Friday, Nov. 8 & Saturday, Nov. 9), and Southern Indiana (Thursday, Nov. 14 & Friday, Nov. 15).
Finishing in the top eight of the final OVC standings will earn the purple and gold a bid to the league's annual postseason tournament, hosted by the regular-season champion from Sunday, Nov. 24 through Tuesday, Nov. 26.
"Our team has something new to say this season," Phillips said, "and we will need to come together in a way we have yet to do in the past. The standards are high, the anticipation is great, and the season is right around the corner."
Photo by TTU Sports Information
