NORFOLK, Va. – The 2013 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) volleyball season begins this weekend with all 13 MEAC teams competing in 35 non-conference matches.

The defending MEAC Tournament champion University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Lady Hawks will begin their season at the Bradley Invitational on Friday, August 30 against Tennessee-Martin. UMES was picked to finish second in the northern division as the Lady Hawks posted an 11-1 conference mark and a 28-6 overall record last season.

Hampton, picked as the preseason favorite in the northern division, opens its season on Friday at the North Carolina Central Invitational. The Lady Pirates face host North Carolina Central and conclude the weekend with matches against Evansville and Murray State. NCCU, the lone MEAC institution to host a tournament during the opening weekend, will also meet Evansville and Murray State.

Florida A&M tips off its season on Friday at the Georgia Tech Invitational. The southern division preseason favorite will meet UT-Chattanooga and Northern Arizona on Sunday. Last year, the Lady Rattlers recorded an undefeated 10-0 conference mark and a 15-10 overall record.

Additional season openers include: Bethune-Cookman (Florida Atlantic Invitational), Coppin State (Hofstra Asics Invitational), Delaware State (Hofstra Asics Invitational), Howard (D.C. Volleyball Challenge), Morgan State (Arizona Invitational), Norfolk State (Appalachian Invitational), North Carolina A&T (LaQuinta Inn and Suites Highlander Invitational), Savannah State (Winthrop Classic) and South Carolina State (Gamecock Invitational).

Conference play begins on Friday, September 27 as all 13 MEAC teams will be in action.  

The 2013 MEAC Volleyball Championship will be held November 15-17 on the campus of Coppin State University in Baltimore, Md.