University of Arizona head coach Dave Rubio has solidified his team as one of the top 16 in the nation last year when they advanced to their first regional since 2005. Heading back to the postseason will be difficult but it is doable based on who is on their recently released 2017 schedule to go along with who is on the Arizona roster.
The Wildcats lost impact players in Third Team AVCA All-Americans outside Kalei Mau and setter Penina Snuka to go along with libero Laura Larson, outside Katarina Pilepic, and defensive specialist McKenna Painton, as they all have graduated. One other loss was a potential libero candidate Reilly Killeen who has transferred to Kansas State.
A positive look at this upcoming team is that they bring in a group of eight newcomers that includes middle Candace Denny, outside/opposite Katie Smoot, and outside Paige Whipple. Another name that should be looked out for is senior Kim Gutierrez who transferred in from San Francisco and was the starting libero for all three years.
These new players along with returners like middles McKenzie Jacobson and Devyn Cross and outsides Kendra Dahlke and Tyler Spriggs will look to battle against some tough teams on the other side of the net.
Arizona will have a balanced a non-conference which features both home and away matches. They will take road trips to Tennessee and Florida playing competitive teams like Lipscomb and Florida State. Both teams made it to the NCAA Tournament with FSU falling to the eventual national champions in the sweet sixteen.
At home, they take on teams like Eastern Kentucky, Grand Canyon, Illinois State, New Mexico State, Radford, and William & Mary. Also featured are neutral floor matches against East Tennessee State, Florida A&M, and Middle Tennessee.
Although this is not Arizona’s toughest non-conference schedule compared to other seasons, they play in the Pac-12 which is one of the toughest conferences in the nation. With a good record heading into the regular season and a finish in the top half of the conference, Arizona again can be a tournament team.
This year the Wildcats will only be playing the Washington schools once with Washington State at home earlier in the season and at Washington towards the end. Senior night will be against in-state rival Arizona State on November 24th to round out the regular season.
Pac-12 Networks will air 13 of Arizona’s conference matches and the school will most likely have streams available for each home match.
LUV INVITATIONAL
AUG 26 (SAT) 8:00 AM MST
VS EAST TENNESSEE STATE
NASHVILLE, TENN. – ALLEN ARENA
AUG 26 (SAT) 5:30 PM MST
AT LIPSCOMB
NASHVILLE, TENN. – ALLEN ARENA
AUG 27 (SUN) 10:00 AM MST
VS MIDDLE TENNESSEE
NASHVILLE, TENN. – ALLEN ARENA
CACTUS CLASSIC
SEP 1 (FRI) 12:30 PM MST
VS EASTERN KENTUCKY
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
SEP 1 (FRI) 7:00 PM MST
VS GRAND CANYON
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
SEP 2 (SAT) 1:00 PM MST
VS RADFORD
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
SEP 8 (FRI) 3:00 PM MST
AT FLORIDA A&M
TALLAHASSEE, FLA.
SEP 9 (SAT) 1:30 PM MST
AT FLORIDA STATE
TALLAHASSEE, FLA.
WILDCAT CLASSIC
SEP 15 (FRI) 12:30 PM MST
VS WILLIAM AND MARY
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
SEP 15 (FRI) 7:00 PM MST
VS NEW MEXICO STATE
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
SEP 16 (SAT) 1:00 PM MST
VS ILLINOIS STATE
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
SEP 21 (THU) 8:00 PM MST
AT ARIZONA STATE (Pac-12)
TEMPE, ARIZ. – WELLS FARGO ARENA
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
SEP 23 (SAT) 6:00 PM MST
VS WASHINGTON STATE (Pac-12)
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
SEP 29 (FRI) 7:00 PM MST
AT STANFORD (Pac-12)
STANFORD, CALIF. – MAPLES PAVILION
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
OCT 1 (SUN) 11:00 AM MST
AT CALIFORNIA (Pac-12)
BERKELEY, CALIF. – HAAS PAVILION
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
OCT 4 (WED) 7:00 PM MST
VS UCLA (Pac-12)
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
OCT 6 (FRI) 6:00 PM MST
VS USC (Pac-12)
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
OCT 13 (FRI) 6:00 PM MST
UTAH (Pac-12)
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
OCT 15 (SUN) 1:00 PM MST
COLORADO (Pac-12)
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
OCT 18 (WED) 7:00 PM MST
OREGON STATE (Pac-12)
CORVALLIS, ORE. – GILL COLISEUM
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
OCT 20 (FRI) 8:00 PM MST
OREGON (Pac-12)
EUGENE, ORE. – MATTHEW KNIGHT ARENA
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
OCT 27 (FRI) 6:00 PM MST
CALIFORNIA (Pac-12)
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
OCT 29 (SUN) 1:00 PM MST
STANFORD (Pac-12)
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
NOV 3 (FRI) 6:00 PM MST
UCLA (Pac-12)
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. – PAULEY PAVILION
NOV 5 (SUN) 12:00 PM MST
USC (Pac-12)
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. – GALEN CENTER
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
NOV 9 (THU) 8:00 PM MST
OREGON STATE (Pac-12)
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
NOV 12 (SUN) 2:00 PM MST
OREGON (Pac-12)
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
NOV 17 (FRI) 6:00 PM MST
COLORADO (Pac-12)
BOULDER, COLO. – COORS EVENTS CENTER
TV: COLORADO LIVE STREAM
NOV 18 (SAT) 7:00 PM MST
UTAH (Pac-12)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – JON M HUNTSMAN CENTER
NOV 22 (WED) TBD
WASHINGTON (Pac-12)
SEATTLE, WASH. – ALASKA AIRLINES ARENA
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
NOV 25 (SAT) TBD
ARIZONA STATE (Pac-12)
TUCSON, ARIZ. – MCKALE CENTER
TV: PAC-12 NETWORKS
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