The UNC volleyball team released its schedule for the upcoming season on Monday, a tough slate that includes games against 10 teams from last year’s NCAA Tournament.

Also included in the schedule is the Carolina Classic event and a match in the Dean E. Smith Center on Oct. 12 against Pittsburgh, the defending ACC Champion.

UNC begins the year with the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at the Target Center in Minnesota on Aug. 24-25, as the Tar Heels will take on both Wisconsin and Minnesota–two teams that finished last year ranked among the top 12 in the nation.

“We’ll have some good challenges especially early in the season going on the road to Minnesota and facing Wisconsin in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge,” head coach Joe Sagula said. “The exciting thing is to be at the Target Center – the site of the Final Four. That will be an extra thrill and extra opportunity for our team to know what it’s like to play in that venue.”

From there, UNC returns home to host the Carolina Classic at Carmichael Arena on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 against Michigan State–which finished last year ranked No. 8–Maryland Eastern-Shore and UNC-Greensboro.

A trip to Boulder for Colorado’s Buffs Invitational awaits the very next week from Sept. 7-9, as UNC takes on a trio of power five conference teams in Colorado, Oklahoma and Georgia.

Non-conference matches against North Dakota State on Sept. 14 and Duke on Sept. 16 will then lead the Tar Heels into ACC play. The match against the Blue Devils will be held in Durham, but won’t count toward the conference standings.

“People come out to see good quality volleyball and they’re always going to be treated to a really good match when UNC is playing Duke,” Sagula said. “So we thought what better way to finish the nonconference that playing your rival in a match that won’t count in the ACC standings, but will certainly count in the rivalry.”

Notre Dame visits Chapel Hill on Sept. 21 for the ACC opener, as the conference season will consist of 16 matches in total–ending with a home match against Florida State on Nov. 21.

For the full UNC volleyball schedule, click here.

 

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

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