May 4, 2007

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina Head Volleyball Coach Stephanie Dragan announced the slate of matches for the 2007 season. The schedule includes four in-season tournaments including the 6th Annual Catamount Clash and a 17-game Southern Conference calendar, culminating with the SoCon Volleyball Championship November 15-18.

The Catamounts will play in a total of four tournaments in 2007 including their home tournament. Western Carolina opens the tournament segment of its schedule in Dallas, Texas at a tournament at SMU. The following weekend, the squad will travel a few miles down the road to participate in a tournament at UNC Asheville. The Catamounts last road tournament will be in Atlanta, Ga., in a tournament at Georgia Tech. The 6th Annual Catamount Clash closes out the tournament portion of Western Carolina's schedule.

At the SMU tournament, Western Carolina will face host SMU, McNeese State and Eastern Illinois.

"SMU is in the middle of the pack in Conference-USA," Dragan said. "This should be a competitive tournament for our team."

In the second weekend of play, Western Carolina travels to UNC-Asheville. The Catamounts will play UNC Asheville, Kennesaw and USC-Upstate.

"I have very high expectations in the tournament at UNC-Asheville," Dragan said. "We have such a huge rivalry with UNCA and our match with them will be on a Friday night so it will be a highlight of the tournament. I am sure UNC Asheville will pack the house for that match."

The team closes out its road schedule of tournament matches at Georgia Tech. Western Carolina will play Georgia Tech, Kentucky and the University of Arizona.

"Playing at the Georgia Tech tournament is something we have done in the past but we haven't been down there in a few years," Dragan said. "We will be playing some big name schools - Arizona finished top five in the country last year."

The season of tournament play ends with Western Carolina hosting its own tournament on September 14-15. A unique aspect of the home tournament is the mixture of a conference game - the Catamounts will play Southern Conference member The Citadel at 7 p.m. September 14.

"Hosting our own tournament is exciting, I know the players like to host," Dragan said. "We put a new twist in the tournament by bringing The Citadel in to become the marquee match of the tournament. I think that will be fun."

After completion of the tournament portion of its schedule, Western Carolina has just one non-conference game. The Catamounts will host East Tennessee State at 7 p.m. September 26.

Western Carolina will have a complete new look in 2007, as Dragan brings in seven newcomers to the squad and welcomes back four. It will force the incoming players to acclimate themselves to Catamount volleyball quickly.

"I know everyone is going to think very lightly of us and we will be ranked pretty low in the preseason rankings," Dragan said. "That is okay with me, let us fly under the radar and prove ourselves as conference season begins."

Western Carolina will host a scrimmage with Tusculum on August 18 before the club enters regular season play August 24 at the SMU Tournament.

2007 Western Carolina Volleyball Schedule 
Aug 18    vs. Tusculum (scrimmage)
 
Southern Methodist Tournament - Aug 24-25
Aug 24    at SMU
Aug 25    vs. McNeese State / vs. E. Illinois 
 
UNC Asheville Tournament - Aug. 31-Sept. 1
Aug 31    at UNC Asheville
Sept 1    vs. Kennesaw / vs. USC-Upstate 
 
Georgia Tech Tournament - Sept. 7-8
Sept 7    at Georgia Tech / vs. Kentucky 
Sept 8    vs. Arizona 
 
6th Annual Catamount Clash - Sept. 14-15
Sept 14   vs. Presbyterian / vs. The Citadel 
Sept 15   vs. NC A&T / UNC Wilmington
 
Sept 18   Chattanooga *
Sept 21   vs. Appalachian State * 
Sept 22   vs. Davidson * 
Sept 26   vs. East Tennessee State 
Sept 30   at Georgia Southern *
Oct 5     at Furman *
Oct 6     at Wofford *  
Oct 11    at College of Charleston * 
Oct 13    vs. Elon (in historic Reid Gym)* 
Oct 14    vs. UNC Greensboro *
Oct 19    at Appalachian State * 
Oct 20    at Davidson *
Oct 24    Wofford *
Oct 28    Georgia Southern * 
Oct 30    at Chattanooga *
Nov 6     Furman (Senior Day) * 
Nov 10    at Elon *
Nov 11    at UNC Greensboro *  
Nov 15-18 SoCon Championship