July 23, 2007

Tournaments in Arizona and Los Angeles, Louisiana foes UNO and LSU, and a 16-match Conference USA slate highlight the 2007 Tulane volleyball schedule which was released Monday by head coach Liz Kritza.

"We're looking forward to playing this 2007 schedule and the challenges it presents," Kritza said. "We bring back nearly all of our starters who are committed to putting themselves in the position to reach the top of our league and NCAA tournament play. We'll face a tougher conference schedule than in year's past as C-USA collectively is getting more competitive and we strive to schedule as many quality opponents out of conference as we possibly can."

Seven of Tulane's 2007 opponents were NCAA Tournament participants, including Wisconsin which advanced to the Sweet 16, Second Round participants Colorado and Stephen F. Austin, Arizona State, Florida A&M, LSU and UAB. Five opponents on the Wave's schedule placed in the top 45 of the RPI, including Colorado, Wisconsin, Arizona State, LSU and Stephen F. Austin.

The Green Wave open the 2007 season at home with the Sugar Bowl Tournament at Fogelman Arena on Aug. 24 and 25. Tulane will face Big XII foe Colorado, which finished ranked #22 last season, in the season-opener at 7 p.m. on Friday. The tournament continues Saturday with a match against Furman.

After a Aug. 28 road match at cross-town opponent UNO, the Green Wave will take on South Dakota State, Texas Pan-American, Louisiana-Lafayette and host Sam Houston State at the Domino's Invitational Aug. 31-Sept. 1.

Tulane's third tournament will be the Hilton LAX Invitational, hosted in Los Angeles by West Coast Conference member Loyola Marymount Sept. 7-8. The Green Wave will take on host LMU, Big Ten opponent Wisconsin, which finished last season ranked #9, and they Ivy League's Columbia Lions in the Wave's first trip to California since the 2002 season.

The Green Wave head west for a tournament at Arizona State, but along the way will stop and open Conference USA action at UTEP on Sept. 12. Arizona State's Crowne Plaze Phoenix Airport Classic will feature the Pacific-10's ASU, Florida A&M and Virginia Commonwealth on Sept. 14-15.

Columbia, Florida A&M, Furman and South Dakota State are all first time opponents for Tulane. The Green Wave will renew regional non-conference rivalries with ULL (52nd meeting), McNeese State (29th meeting), and LSU (65th meeting). Tulane all-time is 95-76 against the non-conference opponents on the 2007 schedule.

Tulane's C-USA home opener features defending champion UAB at Fogelman Arena on Friday, Sept. 21 in a split-weekend that will see the Wave play at Memphis on Sunday, Sept. 23. Tulane returns to Fogelman for home C-USA matches against Tulsa (Sept. 28) and SMU (Sept. 30). On October 5, the Green Wave visit Marshall before a road match two days later at East Carolina.

Tulane steps out of conference on October 9 for a home match against McNeese State before traveling to Texas for C-USA contests at Houston (Oct. 12) and at Rice (Oct. 14).

A three-game home stand follows with matches against Stephen F. Austin (Oct. 17), UCF (Oct. 19) and Southern Miss (Oct. 21). The Wave's final regular season road trip will take the squad to SMU (Oct. 26) and Tulsa (Oct. 28), before a three-match home stand concludes C-USA play. Rice (Nov. 2), Houston (Nov. 4) and UTEP (Nov. 9) return matches at Fogelman Arena to wrap up the league slate.

The Conference USA championship will take place Nov. 15-18 at Marshall's Cam Henderson Center. Tulane will keep sharp while awaiting the NCAA Tournament announcement (Sunday, Nov. 25) with a match at LSU on Nov. 24.

Tulane returns 10 student-athletes and six of seven starters from the squad that finished 15-11 overall and placed third in Conference USA last season. The Green Wave boast four returning All-Conference USA players, including two-time All-American outside hitter Sara Radosevic (a junior in 2007), C-USA and AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year and Second Team All C-USA Ksenija Vlaskovic (sophomore outside hitter), Second Team All-Conference USA middle blocker Jen Linder (a junior), C-USA Second Team and All-Freshman Team libero Jen Miller (a sophomore).

All Tulane home matches will have live streaming video via CSTV All-Access, and live statistics and play-by-play information from Gametracker at TulaneGreenWave.com. Gametracker will also be available for most Conference USA road matches.

Season tickets for the 2007 volleyball season are on sale now at the Tulane University Ticket Office at the James W. Wilson Center. Call (504) 865-WAVE for ticket information.