Full 2012 Schedule
NORFOLK, Va. – Interim head coach Brandon Duvall released the 2012 Norfolk State volleyball schedule today, with a pair of four-team tournaments and eight other contests dotting the home portion of the schedule this season.
The Spartans will host the 2012 version of the Spartan Classic Sept. 7-8 at Joseph Echols Hall as well as the Spartan Invitational Sept. 21-22. NSU will also host the six MEAC Northern Division teams throughout the October and November conference schedule as well as non-conference foes William & Mary and Virginia Commonwealth.
“We are excited to have some home court advantage this year, especially after not playing as many home matches last year,” said Duvall. “We were able to get some higher-level teams to come here, and that will tell us where we stand compared to that caliber of play. We wanted to be in a situation where we could challenge ourselves, and this schedule does just that.”
Both home tournaments will include three other schools along with NSU. Stetson, UNC Wilmington and Rutgers will compete in the Spartan Classic, while Hampton, South Carolina State and Texas-Pan American will take part in the Spartan Invitational two weeks later. NSU lasted hosted a tournament in 2010 with the five-team Spartan Classic and the three-team Spartan Invitational.
The Spartans will once again take part in the Green vs. Gold Scrimmage Aug. 18 at Echols Hall to give fans a sneak preview of the 2012 volleyball team. NSU will officially kick off its season Aug. 24-25 at the Kristen Dickmann Invitational at Navy, followed by the Robert Morris/Duquesne Invitational Aug. 31-Sept. 1.
NSU will face Stetson at 7 p.m. on Sept. 7 in the Spartan Classic. The next day, the Spartans will face UNC Wilmington at 1 p.m. and Rutgers at 6 p.m. to close out the tournament. Stetson and UNC Wilmington will open up the tournament on that Friday at 1 p.m., while UNC Wilmington and Rutgers will play at 4 p.m. that day. Stetson and Rutgers will lock horns Saturday at 10 a.m. as well.
A trip out west awaits NSU, as Pac-12 teams Colorado and Washington State will be two of the four opponents for the Spartans during the Air Force/Colorado Invitational Sept. 14-15. It will mark NSU's first matches ever against a Pac-12 team. After that, it's back home for the Spartan Invitational Sept. 21-22.
NSU will play Texas-Pan American at 7 p.m. that Friday following the Hampton-South Carolina State match at 4 p.m. On Saturday, four contests dot the schedule, including contests against South Carolina State at 1 p.m. and Hampton at 7 p.m. Hampton and Texas-Pan American will open up play on Saturday at 10 a.m., while South Carolina State and Texas-Pan American will play at 4 p.m. in between the two NSU matches.
From there, conference play gets underway, beginning with away matches at Coppin State and Morgan State Sept. 28 and 30, respectively. NSU will host William & Mary – the first contest between the two schools since 2008 – on Oct. 2 at 6 p.m., followed by conference foe Howard on Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. The Spartans will wrap up the three-game homestand Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. against Virginia Commonwealth in the last non-conference match of the season.
“We wanted to create some familiarity with our program,” added Duvall. “People are familiar with schools such as William & Mary and VCU. We wanted to establish ourselves as well and show we can compete with those types of teams. Years past, we normally wouldn't have considered playing some of the teams that we are playing this year. This will be our toughest schedule ever.”
After a Friday-Sunday trip to Delaware State and UMES Oct. 12 and 14, the Spartans will play a home-and-home weekend with Hampton. The Pirates come to Echols Hall Oct. 19 at 6 p.m., and then the Spartans make the trip across the bay for a 3 p.m. match at Hampton's Holland Hall Oct. 21 at 3 p.m.
Morgan State and Coppin State make the return trip to Norfolk Oct. 26 and 28. NSU will host the Bears at 6 p.m. on the 26th, while the Eagles and Spartans will faceoff at 3 p.m. on the 28th. After an away match at Howard on Nov. 2, NSU closes out the regular season at home against UMES at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 and versus Delaware State Nov. 11 at 3 p.m.
“This year we'll have a better understanding of what to expect in the MEAC North,” said Duvall. “This being our second year in the division, we know so much more about these teams and what to expect from them out on the court. We've got the right mix of talent and experience, so we feel confident that we can finish near the top of the division and make the conference tournament.”
The 2012 MEAC Championship take place Nov. 16-18 at a yet-to-be-determined location.
NSU returns seven letterwinners in the 2012 squad as well as three other players who sat out the entire 2011 season due to injury. Duvall also brought in a five-member recruiting class, including three high school players and two junior college transfers, following a 9-16 campaign last year.
