June 24, 2008

Champaign, Ill. -

Complete 2008 Illinois volleyball schedule in PDF Format

"This should be the best volleyball our fans have seen in years," said Illinois volleyball coach Don Hardin on the 2008 schedule. The Illini officially released its schedule, which includes dates with both finalists at last year's NCAA Tournament - Penn State and Stanford.

The Illini once again play home-and-home with all 10 other Big Ten schools, meaning two matches against national champion Penn State. Illinois took the Nittany Lions to the limit last season before falling in five games in Champaign so Illini fans should circle Nov. 14, the date of the Lions return to Huff Hall, on their calendars.

To see Illinois face last year's final top ranked team and national runner-up, Stanford, fans need only travel southwest to the Gateway city of St. Louis. Illinois meets the Cardinal Sept. 6 at 1 p.m., as part of the Billikin Invitational hosted by Saint Louis University. Illinois meets the host Billikens and former Illinois assistant Anne Kordes on Friday, Sept. 5 in the first round of competition. Kordes is entering her fifth season as head coach at SLU, which included a 2006 NCAA Tournament bid. The Illini also meet William & Mary in that tournament.

For the second time in three years, the State Farm Illini Classic will kick-off the season. The Illini are planning their annual "Stuff Huff" promotion for the season opener against perennially strong North Carolina, a 2002 national semifinalist. The Illini defeated the Tar Heels in three games two years ago at the GlaxoSmithKline UNC Volleyball Classic. A pair of NCAA Tournament teams - New Mexico State and Oregon, a Sweet 16 team from last year, round out the field, which will play a complete-round robin schedule.

Another anticipated re-match takes place Friday, Sept. 12 against Dayton at the Tennessee Comcast Classic. The Flyers were the last team in the nation with a loss last season, but had to overcome match points against them to defeat the Illini at the Dayton Flyer Classic. Illinois meets the Flyers for the third year in a row. Illinois also plays the host Lady Vols and Gardner-Webb in Knoxville.

Overall, Illinois plays 17 matches against 11 NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago, including five - Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Penn State and Stanford, which advanced to the Sweet 16.

Illinois continues its rivalry with Illinois State, which has produced an electric atmosphere through the years. The Redbirds, under first-year coach Melissa Myers, host the Illini on Tuesday, Sept. 16 in Normal. Myers replaces Sharon Dingman, who left to take over the head post at Iowa.

Illinois rounds out the non-conference season on Friday, Sept. 19 at Huff Hall with its first ever match against SIU-Edwardsville, who is moving to NCAA Division I after ranking 14th in NCAA Division II last season.

The Illini's first home Big Ten match is Oct. 3 against Minnesota. The Illini will be traveling with Purdue, meaning mid-week matches against the Boilermakers.

Illinois completed a 9-1 mark in a competitive trip to Europe and enters the season returning five starters in its quest to return to the NCAA Tournament.

"This schedule is geared to help get us ready for Big Ten Conference play and I am sure it will accomplish that," Hardin said. "This will be the overall strongest field at our classic in many years. All teams have the capability to fair well in the NCAA tournament and at least two of them will come out of the chute with a high national ranking."

The Big Ten Network schedule is expected out in mid-July and could move some dates and times. Any schedule changes will be announced on fightingillini.com.