NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 21, 2017 – The 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) volleyball season begins this weekend, with 12 of the 13 member institutions competing in 35 non-conference matches.

The defending MEAC Tournament champion Howard Bison will begin the season at the District of Columbia Volleyball Challenge in Washington, D.C., on Friday against Georgetown and on Saturday against American and Santa Clara. Howard was picked to win the Northern Division this season, as the Bison posted a 12-0 conference mark and a 26-6 overall record last season.

Florida A&M, selected as the preseason favorite in the Southern Division, opens its season on Friday at the Rebel Invitational hosted by Ole Miss. The Lady Rattlers, who finished last season with a 17-12 overall mark and a 10-0 MEAC record, will face Louisiana Tech and Chattanooga that Friday, before squaring off against North Dakota on Saturday and Ole Miss on Sunday.

Additional season openers include Bethune-Cookman (Big Orange Bash), Coppin State (Crosstown Invitational), Delaware State (Morehead State Tournament), Hampton (University of Buffalo Blue and White Classic), Maryland Eastern Shore (Kristen Dickmann Invitational), Morgan State (Spartan Spiketacular), North Carolina A&T State (ISTAP College Cup), North Carolina Central (Campbell Invitational), Savannah State (SWAC/MEAC Challenge) and South Carolina State (Charlotte Classic).

Norfolk State will open its season on Sept. 1-2 in Easton, Pa.

Conference play begins on Thursday, Sept. 28, when North Carolina A&T State heads to Durham, N.C. to take on rival North Carolina Central. MEAC action will begin for all the other schools the following day, Sept. 29.

The 2017 MEAC Volleyball Championship will be held Nov. 17-19 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md.