Courtesy: N.C. State Athletics
RALEIGH, N.C. – Coming off a record-breaking campaign highlighted by the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory, third-year NC State volleyball head coach Linda Hampton-Keith announced the Wolfpack’s schedule for the 2018 season on Monday.
The Pack’s slate features 19 matches versus teams that finished last season among the top 100 of the NCAA RPI, including 11 contests against teams ranked in the top 50.
NC State will play eight teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2017.
Additionally, the Wolfpack’s non-conference schedule is highlighted by a matchup with Creighton, which finished last season ranked 14th in the RPI and 16th in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top-25 Poll. The Bluejays advanced to the Elite 8 in 2016, have won the Big East Conference four consecutive seasons and have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last six years.
The Pack will play 14 home matches inside Reynolds Coliseum.
“We’ve put together another strong and competitive schedule with the intent of postseason play,” said Hampton-Keith. “We’re excited to step up to the challenges that the season will bring and it’s our hope that our non-conference schedule will prepare us for the rigors of ACC play. This schedule provides us the body of work needed for inclusion in the NCAA Tournament conversation in November.”
NC State opens the season at home on Friday, Aug. 24 with a tough matchup against VCU, the Atlantic 10 champion that finished last season with a 30-3 overall record. Washington State will also head to Raleigh on opening weekend and Sunday’s matchup on Aug. 26 will be the first meeting between the Wolfpack and Cougars. WSU advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2017 before falling to eventual National Champion Nebraska.
The Wolfpack will travel to Dallas, Texas, for its second weekend of the season for a tournament hosted by SMU. NC State begins play in the event on Aug. 31 against SMU before taking on Creighton later that day. The Pack concludes play at SMU versus Arkansas State on Sept. 1.
NC State returns to Reynolds Coliseum to play Wright State and Utah Valley on Friday, Sept. 7. It will be first meeting against Utah Valley. The Wolfpack hosts Campbell in a match on Sunday, Sept. 9.
2018 North Carolina State Schedule
Aug 24 vs. VCU
Aug. 26 vs. Washington State
SMU Doubletree Classic (Dallas, Texas)
Aug. 31 at SMU
Aug. 31 vs. Creighton
Sept. 1 vs. Arkansas State
Sept. 7 vs. Wright State
Sept. 7 vs. Utah Valley
Sept. 9 vs. Campbell
ACC-SEC Challenge (Atlanta, Ga.)
Sept. 14 vs. Arkansas
Sept. 15 at Georgia
Sept. 21 vs. Louisville
Sept. 23 vs. Notre Dame
Sept. 26 at North Carolina
Sept. 30 at Virginia Tech
Oct. 5 at Florida State
Oct. 7 at Miami
Oct. 12 vs. Virginia
Oct. 14 vs. Pittsburgh
Oct 19 at Boston College
Oct. 21 at Syracuse
Oct. 26 at Clemson
Oct 28 at Georgia Tech
Nov. 2 vs. Wake Forest*
Nov. 4 vs. Duke*
Nov. 9 at Notre Dame*
Nov. 14 vs. North Carolina*
Nov. 21 vs. Syracuse*
Nov. 23 vs. Florida State*
*- ACC match
Leave a Reply