July 15, 2011

2011 Samford Volleyball Schedule

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A home match with Alabama, a tournament co-hosted with UAB, tournaments at South Alabama and Georgia Tech and hosting the Southern Conference Tournament, highlight Samford's 2011 volleyball schedule, released by head coach Derek Schroeder on Friday.

Samford opens the season on Aug. 26 and 27, co-hosting a tournament with UAB. In the tournament, Samford will take on Troy and UNC Asheville on Aug. 26, and Arkansas State on Aug. 27, with all three games being played in the Pete Hanna Center.

The Bulldogs will play host to the University of Alabama on Aug. 30. The game, which is Samford's final home non-conference game of the season, marks the first time Samford has hosted Alabama since Oct. 30, 2001.

"Our preseason schedule is set again to challenge our team and play some very strong competition," Schroeder said. "Co-hosting with UAB opening weekend we look forward to three strong matches on our home floor leading into a midweek match with the University of Alabama."

Samford will go on the road for the first time on Sept. 2-3, when the Bulldogs take part in a tournament hosted by South Alabama in Mobile. The Bulldogs will take on Alabama A&M, Louisiana Tech and Southeastern Louisiana in the tournament.

Next up for Samford is a tournament in Atlanta at Georgia Tech, Sept. 9-10. Samford opens the tournament against Mercer, and then the Bulldogs will take on Georgia and Georgia Tech on the final day of the tournament.

The final pre-conference tournament will be hosted by Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sept. 16-17. On the first day of the tournament, Samford takes on Savannah State and Stetson, and then the Bulldogs play Bethune-Cookman and Hampton on the tournament's final day.

"We don't go as far from home this preseason as we have in the past but stops at South Alabama, Georgia Tech and Bethune-Cookman should get us jump started for Southern Conference play," Schroeder said.

Samford opens Southern Conference play with three-straight road games at Appalachian State (Sept. 24), Western Carolina (Sept. 25) and Furman (Oct. 1).

The Bulldogs then play five-straight games at the Pete Hanna Center. During the stretch, Samford plays host to Chattanooga (Oct. 5), UNC Greensboro (Oct. 7), Elon (Oct. 8), College of Charleston (Oct. 14) and The Citadel (Oct. 15).

Next up for Samford are road games at Davidson (Oct. 21), Georgia Southern (Oct. 22) and Chattanooga (Oct. 28).

The Bulldogs then return home for a game against Wofford on Oct. 29, before heading back on the road for matches at Elon (Nov. 4) and UNC Greensboro (Nov. 5).

Samford wraps up the regular season with home games against Western Carolina (Nov. 12) and Appalachian State (Nov. 13).

Samford will play host to the Southern Conference Tournament for the first time this season. The tournament will be played Nov. 19-21 in the Pete Hanna Center.