Volleyball Releases Nationally Competitive Schedule for 2016
Findlay, OH – The University of Findlay volleyball team is coming off a season in which they won the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) South Division title for the second consecutive year. The Oilers reached the GLIAC tournament championship and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2001.
After a successful season last year, the Oilers are looking for more in 2016 and have put together a nationally competitive out-of-conference schedule to go along with the always challenging GLIAC schedule.
The 2016 campaign will begin in Pensacola, Fla. on Sep. 1 with a match against the University of Central Missouri, who finished last season ranked 11th in the country with a 30-5 record. The next day, Findlay will take on the University of West Florida, who had a 28-7 record and finished the year ranked 25th in the country, and Wheeling Jesuit University, who finished 39-4 and won the 2015 NCAA National Championship. One of the four Cardinals losses came at the hands of the Oilers, a 3-1 victory for the Orange and Black on Nov. 11. Rounding out the Florida trip will be a Saturday, Sep. 3 matchup with Carson-Newman, 29-8 last season and reached the 2015 NCAA Elite Eight.
Findlay then returns home to play their first home match of the year in the Fall Classic on Friday, Sep. 9 when they take on Clarion University.
One week later, the Oilers begin their quest for a third consecutive GLIAC South title with their first conference matchup of the year on Friday, Sep. 16 against Ashland University.
After playing seven home matches in the month of September, Findlay will be on the road for much of October, beginning with trips to Northern Michigan University and Northwood University on Saturday, Oct. 1 and Friday, Oct. 7, respectively. After a matchup at Hillsdale on Saturday, Oct. 8, Findlay will head to Aurora Illinois on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15 for the annual GLIAC/GLVC Crossover.
The two October home games come on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22 when Findlay plays host to Ferris State University, last year's GLIAC regular season and tournament champion, and Grand Valley State University.
The month of October concludes with road games at Lake Erie College on Oct. 28 and Ohio Dominican on Oct. 29.
November begins with three home games as the Oilers host Wayne State on Tuesday, Nov. 1, Walsh on Friday, Nov. 4, and Cedarville on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Regular season play concludes with road games at Tiffin on Nov. 11 and at Ashland on Nov. 12.
The 2016 GLIAC Tournament is set to begin on Wednesday, Nov. 16 and concludes with the championship of Sunday, Nov. 20. The Midwest Regional will take place from Dec. 1-3 with the Elite Eight to be played Dec. 8-10.
Findlay finished last season with a 26-9 record and return a talented core that includes last season's National Freshman of the Year, Hailee Olson, two-time all-American, Hannah Tong, and 2014 all-American, Nickyla Garverick.