PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - University of Maryland Eastern Shore head volleyball coach Millicent Van Norden has released the 2013 schedule.  

 

The two-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion team is set to compete in four in-season tournaments before playing a full MEAC schedule of 12 regular season matches.

 

The Hawks will defend the longest home-winning streak in Division I this season having won their last 30 matches at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center dating back to 2009. UMES will play six home matches this season, with the home opener and first MEAC match on Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. against Delaware State.

 

The season will begin in Peoria, Ill., with the CEFCU Classic at Bradley University.  The Hawks take on UT-Martin on Friday, Aug. 30 at 4 p.m. (Eastern Time).  The next day, the team faces tournament host Bradley at 1:30 p.m., followed by Western Illinois at 6 p.m.

 

The following weekend, the Hawks fly north to Fairfield, Conn., to compete in the SHU Hampton Inn Invitational.  UMES faces Manhattan at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6 before a Saturday doubleheader, playing tournament host Sacred Heart at noon and American at 3 p.m.

 

The proceeding weekend, the team heads to a MEAC rival to play in the Spartan Invite in Norfolk, Va.  After playing UNC Charlotte on Friday, Sept. 13, the Hawks will play a pair of MEAC teams, Bethune-Cookman at 11 a.m. and tournament host Norfolk State at 6 p.m., on Saturday, Sept. 14.

 

UMES wraps up non-conference play with one more in-season tournament, the Blue and White Classic, the following weekend in Buffalo, New York.  On Friday, Sept. 20, UMES will take on Ohio State, an NCAA Tournament team that was ranked No. 22 last season, at 4:30 p.m.  On Saturday, the Hawks face tournament host Buffalo at 1:30 p.m. and Valparaiso at 4:30 p.m. to finish the invitational.

 

The Maroon and Gray begin MEAC play on Sept. 27 with a home match against Delaware State at 7 p.m.  The next Friday, Oct. 4, the squad hosts Howard at 7 p.m.

 

UMES will play the next six conference matches on the road.  The team heads to Baltimore for the first two matches, facing Coppin State at 3 p.m., on Sunday, Oct. 6, followed by a 7 p.m., contest against Morgan State on Friday, Oct. 11.  Next, the team will head across the Bay Bridge-Tunnel to battle Hampton on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 3 p.m., and then take on Norfolk State on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m., for the Spartans Homecoming.

 

After a 3 p.m., road match on Sunday, Oct. 20 against Delaware State, the Hawks wrap up the week with a 7 p.m., match against Howard in Washington D.C., on Friday, Oct. 25.

 

The squad heads back to the Hytche for a couple of matches against its Baltimore rivals. UMES looks to spook Morgan State on Halloween night at 7 p.m., followed with a 3 p.m., match versus Coppin State on Sunday, Nov. 3.

 

Following a match Norfolk State at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 8 on the road, UMES will finish MEAC play with Senior Day against Hampton in Princess Anne, Md., on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m.

 

The two-time defending MEAC champions will look to earn a third-straight conference title at the MEAC Tournament in Baltimore, scheduled for November 15-17 at Coppin State University.