June 8, 2006

LOGAN, Utah -

2006 Volleyball Schedule

Utah State University's first-year volleyball coach Grayson DuBose announced Thursday the upcoming 2006 schedule as the Aggies will play a total of 31 matches during the regular season, including seven encounters with NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago.

Of those seven match-ups against NCAA teams, three will be at home as the Aggies host Brigham Young on Sept. 12, defending Western Athletic Conference champion Hawai'i on Nov. 4, and Nevada on Nov. 11 in the final home match of the season. In all, Utah State will play 10 matches at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, a venue where the Aggies have gone 54-22 (.711) over the last seven seasons.

"Our schedule is going to be a great learning experience for our young team," said DuBose. "It will be a challenge, but it should also allow us to progress quickly as we learn new systems and playing style. We are excited to be hosting Brigham Young and Weber State and are looking forward to another great season in the Western Athletic Conference."

Utah State opens the season at the New Mexico Invitational on Aug. 25-26, as the Aggies will face Stephen F. Austin, UC Riverside and the host Lobos. USU will then play Cal State Northridge and Oregon the following weekend at a tournament hosted by the Matadors before beginning its home season against Weber State on Tue., Sept. 5.

Utah State will then participate in the Utah Classic with fellow NCAA Tournament teams Missouri State and Utah, along with Temple on Sept. 8-9 before hosting Brigham Young on Tues., Sept. 12. The Aggies will play in its fourth and final tournament of the regular season on Sept. 15-16 at Oral Roberts University, as it will face Texas-Arlington, Arkansas-Little Rock, St. Francis, and the host Golden Eagles.

Utah State will open Western Athletic Conference play at home against Fresno State on Thur., Sept. 21 and against San Jose State on Sat., Sept. 23, and the Aggies will conclude its regular season with a pair of road matches at Boise State and Idaho on Nov. 16 and 18, before participate in the 2006 WAC Tournament from Nov. 23-25.

Utah State returns three starters and five letterwinners from last year's team that went 23-11 overall, finished in a tie for second-place in the Western Athletic Conference, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last seven years, losing to Arizona in the first round.