TEMPE, Ariz.—The Arizona State volleyball team and head coach Jason Watson announced the 2015 non-conference schedule on Friday, featuring back-to-back trips to the state of Colorado, a home match against in-state foe Northern Arizona, and ending with ASU hosting the 2015 Red Lyon Invitational at Wells Fargo Arena.
The schedule features matches against four teams from the 2014 NCAA Championships, Colorado State (Sweet 16), Western Michigan (Fist Round), Northern Colorado (First Round), and Illinois (Sweet 16).
The Sun Devils will open the season on the road, traveling to a tournament hosted by Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Aug. 28-29. ASU will take on Northeastern on Friday at 5 p.m. MT, before seeing the host Falcons on Saturday at Noon MT, and then will wrap the weekend against New Mexico State at 7:30 p.m. MT.
On Sept. 4-5, ASU will travel to Fort Collins, Colo., taking on Colorado State on Friday at 7 p.m. MT. On Saturday, ASU will take on Western Michigan at 11 a.m. MT, before taking the short trip over to Greeley, Colo., for a match against Northern Colorado at 7 p.m. MT.
The 2015 home slate will open on Tuesday, Sept. 8, with a match against in-state foe Northern Arizona at 7 p.m. PT at Wells Fargo Arena, and will continue on Sunday, Sept. 13, with a match against Gonzaga, time TBA.
ASU will then round out the non-conference slate by hosting Illinois, Texas Southern, and UNLV at the 2015 Red Lyon Invitational, Sept. 18-19, at Wells Fargo Arena.
The Pac-12 Conference portion of the 2015 schedule, along with television information for the season, will be announced on Monday, June 15.
In 2014, the ASU volleyball program (20-14, 9-11 Pac-12) earned its third consecutive NCAA Tournament berth, and advanced to the second round of competition for the first time since 2006. Junior outside hitter Macey Gardner became ASU’s first AVCA All-American since 2000, and also became the first Sun Devil to earn three Pac-12 All-Conference honors since Christine Garner (1993, 1994, and 1995).
2015 Non-Conference Schedule
In Colorado Springs, Colo.:
Friday, Aug. 28. – Arizona State vs. Northeastern (5 p.m. MT)
Saturday, Aug. 29 – Arizona State vs. Air Force (Noon MT)
Arizona State vs. New Mexico State (7:30 p.m. MT)
In Fort Collins, Colo.:
Friday, Sept. 4 – Arizona State vs. Colorado State (7 p.m. MT)
Saturday, Sept. 5 – Arizona State vs. Western Michigan (11 a.m. MT)
In Greeley, Colo.:
Saturday, Sept. 5 – Arizona State vs. Northern Colorado (7 p.m. MT)
In Tempe, Ariz./Wells Fargo Arena:
Tuesday, Sept. 8 – Northern Arizona vs. Arizona State (7 p.m. PT)
Sunday, Sept. 13 – Gonzaga vs. Arizona State (TBA)
In Tempe, Ariz./Wells Fargo Arena/Red Lyon Invitational:
Friday, Sept. 18 – Texas Southern vs. Illinois (10 a.m. PT)
UNLV vs. Arizona State (Noon PT)
Saturday, Sept. 19 – Illinois vs. UNLV (10 a.m. PT)
Texas Southern vs. Arizona State (Noon PT)
UNLV vs. Texas Southern (5 p.m. PT)
Illinois vs. Arizona State (7 p.m. PT)
