HobbsDailyReport.com
MARKLAND
HICKORY – Lenoir-Rhyne University’s volleyball team will play 12 home matches and make a trip to Florida this season.
The Bears, who went 12-18 overall last year and 10-12 in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC), released their 2017 scheduled on Monday.
LRU, coached by Dave Markland for the 15th straight year, opens the season at the Nova Southeastern Shark Invitational on Sept. 1-2 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Bears will face St. Leo, American International, Nova Southeastern and Saint Anselm.
The Bears’ home opener is scheduled Sept. 9 against Lees-McRae at 2 p.m.
LRU’s SAC opener is Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. at Anderson, S.C.
The Bears meet the two SAC teams that reached last year’s NCAA Division II playoffs in back-to-back playing dates – Wingate (29-5) visits on Sept. 28 and Queens (22-9) visits on Sept. 30.
“When 75 percent of your matches are against South Atlantic Conference opponents, every year is tough,” Markland said in a press release. “Our 2017 schedule will be very challenging.”
LRU will be led by two All-SAC players – senior middle blocker Emily Steele (Greenville, N.C.) and senior outside hitter Brooke Redmond (Statesville).
Steele had 242 kills and a team-leading 109 blocks last year while Redmond totaled 282 kills, 243 digs and 35 blocks.
2017 LENOIR-RHYNE VOLLEYBALL
(all caps – SAC matches)
SEPTEMBER
1, St. Leo at Fort Lauerdale, Fla., 11:30 a.m.; American International at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 4:30 p.m.
2, Nova Southeastern at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 2 p.m.; St. Anslem at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 7 p.m.
9, Lees-McRae, 2 p.m.
12, at ANDERSON, S.C., 7 p.m.
15, TUSCULUM, 7 p.m.
19, CATAWBA, 7 p.m.
22, at CARSON-NEWMAN, 7 p.m.
23, at LINCOLN MEMORIAL, 2 p.m.
28, WINGATE, 7 p.m.
30, QUEENS, 2 p.m.
OCTOBER
3, MARS HILL, 7 p.m.
6, at NEWBERRY, S.C., 7 p.m.
7, at COKER, 2 p.m.
11, ANDERSON, S.C., 7 p.m.
13, Francis Marion, 7 p.m.
20, at TUSCULUM, 7 p.m.
24, at CATAWBA, 7 p.m.
27, CARSON-NEWMAN, 7 p.m.
28, LINCOLN MEMORIAL, 2 p.m.
NOVEMBER
2, at WINGATE, 7 p.m.
4, at QUEENS, 2 p.m.
7, at MARS HILL, 7 p.m.
10, NEWBERRY, S.C., 6 p.m.
11, COKER, 2 p.m.
14, SAC Championships, first rounds at higher seeds, TBA
17-18, SAC Championships at Carson-Newman, TBA
- Reported by LRU Sports Information