PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — The Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball program is gearing up to play 29 regular season contests this fall, including 13 matches to be played at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center on campus. Along the way the Hawks host one tournament, travel to three others, play the standard 12 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) matches and host two extra non-conference bouts.
It all kicks off August 26-27 in Montgomery, Alabama when the Hawks will compete in the ISTAP Collegiate Cup. In addition to playing the host Alabama State, Maryland Eastern Shore will also challenge Alabama A&M, Texas Southern and Jackson State.
On Labor Day weekend, the Hawks will host the Courtyard Classic in Princess Anne. American, Rider, Norfolk State, South Carolina State and the U.S. Naval Academy will make their way to The Shore to take on the hosting Hawks. American University will be first up when they come to the Hytche Center on September 1st at 7:00p.m., followed by a match with Navy 24 hours later.
September 3rd serves as a double feature for the Hawks as they face the South Carolina State at 11:00a.m., followed by a match with the Rider at seven in the evening. The tournament closes with a 2:00p.m. Sunday matinee on the 4th against Norfolk State.
After the Hawks wrap up their long home weekend, they hit the road to the Great Northwest for the Cougar Classic hosted by Washington State. The Hawks and Cougars square off in a 3:00 p.m. contest on the 9th, followed with a match against Idaho at 8:00 that evening. On the 10th, Maryland Eastern Shore wraps up the trip with a 1:00 p.m. match against George Washington University.
Tournament play wraps up in East Lansing, Michigan at the Spartan Classic. Notre Dame will be the Hawks’ first foe on September 16th at 11:30 in the morning, followed by a nighttime matchup with DePaul. Host Michigan State will be the final opponent of the tournament in a match played on the 17th at 11:30 in the morning.
MEAC play starts up with a tough test for the Hawks, as they head to the nation’s capital to face defending conference champion Howard University on September 23rd. The team returns home to face Virginia Commonwealth on the 27th before resuming conference play on the road. Maryland Eastern Shore will face Norfolk State again on the 30th and Hampton on October 2nd.
The return to the Hytche happens on October 6th when the Hawks host Morgan State, beginning a sixth match home stand. Another Baltimore foe—Coppin State—arrives on the 9th to take on the Maroon and Gray. The Morgan match begins at 6:00p.m. while the Coppin match will be a 3:00p.m. matinee.
Following a match against Delaware State as part of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Hawk Hysteria festivities on October 14th, Hampton heads up the coast for a 6:00 p.m. start on the 16th. A rematch with Howard happens at 6:00p.m. on the 21st followed by a non-conference match with New Hampshire on the 22nd at 1:00p.m. The Hampton and Howard matches serve as the Hawks’ Pink Week Initiative, promoting breast cancer awareness.
Charm City awaits the Hawks to wrap up October. Morgan State plays host to the Hawks on the 28th and followed by another date with Coppin State on the 30th.
The regular season concludes on the home court in early November. On the 4th, Norfolk State will face the Hawks for the third time for Senior Day. The campaign finishes on the 6th when the Hawks visit Delaware State. Senior day begins at 6:00 p.m. while the regular season finale on the road starts at three in the afternoon.
For the second straight year Maryland Eastern Shore will be the site for the first round of postseason play when the school plays host to the 2016 MEAC Volleyball Championships from November 18th-20th. A berth in the NCAA Championships will be on the line.