Volleyball June 26, 2019 Athletic Communications

Volleyball Announces 2019 Schedule

DeLand, Fla. – Four non-conference tournaments and nine home matches highlight the 2019 Stetson University volleyball schedule, which was released on Wednesday.

The Hatters' third season under head coach Yang Deng will feature 11 opponents who posted winning records in 2018, including six 20-game winners. The team will also face Power 5 Conference opponents from the SEC and Big 10.

"Overall, I think the schedule is going to be a little tougher than it has been in previous years," Deng said. "We want to make sure we are prepared for conference play."

Volleyball Schedule 2019

Coming off a successful 16-win season in 2018, the Hatters will begin the 2019 campaign in Boca Raton at the FAU Invitational Aug 30-31. Stetson will face Niagara, FAU and Grambling State on opening weekend.

Next, the Hatters will head back to the Miami area to compete at the FIU Panther Fest Sept. 5-6. All four teams in the field finished last season with winning records. Stetson will meet FIU, Charleston Southern, and defending CAA Champion Hofstra during the tournament.

Week 3 features a trip to Jacksonville, Ala. and contests against Mississippi State, Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State at the JSU Gamecock Classic (Sept. 13-14).

In their final non-conference tournament, the Hatters will square off against Indiana and USF at the USF Classic (Sept. 20-21) in Tampa, Fla. Stetson's only other non-conference match will be played at home on Oct. 6 vs. Bethune-Cookman.

For the second straight season, the Hatters will play 16 ASUN matches, consisting of a double round-robin schedule vs. all eight conference opponents. ASUN play begins at Jacksonville on Sept. 24. Stetson's official home opener won't come until Sept. 27 vs. Lipscomb.

The Hatters will play six home matches in October and two more in November as conference play kicks into high gear. Following the regular season, the top six teams in the league will compete for the ASUN Championship and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. FGCU will serve as the tournament host.

Select home and road matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+. A full broadcast schedule will be announced later.

The Hatters return eight letterwinners and from last year's team that went 16-13 overall and finished fifth in the league. Seniors Brianna Schmid, Emily DeStaffino, and Eva Deisa will lead the squad. Four newcomers join the program.

"With four newcomers coming in, it's going to be interesting to see who is going to contribute right away," Deng said. "There a lot of unknowns, but it is going to be exciting. It will come down to how well we work together as a team."

Follow Stetson Volleyball all season long on Facebook (StetsonVolleyball), Twitter (@StetsonVB), Instagram (@StetsonVolleyball), and with the HatCheck text messaging system (GoHatters.com/text).

SCHEDULE NOTES:

Preseason Scrimmages: Stetson will host Polk State for an exhibition match on August 15. The Hatters will also play a Green-White intrasquad scrimmage at the Edmunds Center on August 24 at 6 p.m.

Strong Start: Stetson got off to a 3-0 start last year with a sweep at the FIU Kick Off in Miami. The Hatters will return to FIU Arena this season for the second tournament of the year.

20-Game Winners: The six opponents that won 20 matches in 2018 are FAU (21-7), Hofstra (25-8), Sam Houston State (22-8), USF (20-12), Kennesaw State (24-7), and FGCU (27-7). Hofstra and FGCU each played in the NCAA tournament, with FGCU advancing to the second round.

Hello Old Friend: Stetson and Bethune-Cookman will renew a rivalry that dates back to 1987. The Hatters lead the all-time series 58-6 over the Lady Wildcats, including a 3-2 victory last season.

Other Non-Conference Rematches: In addition to Bethune-Cookman, the Hatters will be facing FIU and Grambling State for the second year in a row. Stetson defeated both squads in 2018.

In the Sunshine State: Twenty of the 28 regular season matches will be played in the state of Florida. The Hatters went 11-6 in the Sunshine State last season.

Looking Ahead: The ASUN recently announced that Bellarmine (Louisville, Ky.) will join the league for the 2020 season.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Emily DeStaffino: S; 5' 10"; Senior

#23 Eva Deisa: OH; 5' 10"; Senior

#2 Brianna Schmid: MB; 6' 1"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#11 Emily DeStaffino
: 5' 10"; Senior
: S

#23 Eva Deisa
: 5' 10"; Senior
: OH

#2 Brianna Schmid
: 6' 1"; Senior
: MB

Stetson University Athletics

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Volleyball Announces 2019 Schedule

Players Mentioned

#11 Emily DeStaffino

#23 Eva Deisa

#2 Brianna Schmid

Players Mentioned

#11 Emily DeStaffino

#23 Eva Deisa

#2 Brianna Schmid