Volleyball Releases 2012 Schedule
June 18, 2012 | Women's Volleyball
June 18, 2012
2012 Schedule (PDF) 
| 2012 Schedule (Online) | Buy Tickets Here
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville volleyball head coach Anne Kordes has announced the Cardinals' 2012 schedule that features 16 matches against 2011 NCAA Tournament teams and is highlighted by home matches against powerhouse opponents such as Penn State, Kentucky and Texas. In addition, three opponents advanced to the Sweet 16, one to the Elite Eight and one to the national championship match.
"I believe Louisville volleyball can be a national championship program and an important factor in climbing to the top is playing the best competition, which is why we will feature one of the most competitive schedules in the nation," said Kordes. "More than half of our schedule includes teams that advanced to the NCAA tournament in 2011 with all of those matches being played at the KFC Yum! Center in downtown Louisville, the site of the 2012 NCAA Women's Volleyball National Championship. I think Louisville fans are going to be thrilled for the opportunity to cheer on the Cards against some of the nation's top programs in the country's best venue."
The Cardinals, who ranked in the Top 25 nationally in attendance last season, will play 15 regular-season games in the KFC Yum! Center and five in Cardinal Arena. Louisville hosts an alumni match on Aug. 18 in Cardinal Arena, an event that has been a fan favorite for years. With U of L alumna Kordes in her second year as a head coach, the event takes on a whole new element of fun and competitiveness. Louisville officially opens the 2012 season at home in the Active Ankle Challenge, where NCAA participants Western Kentucky and Morehead State will join the Cardinals along with five-time national champion Penn State on Aug 24-25. The Battle of the Bluegrass will rage the next week with archrival Kentucky, a Sweet Sixteen team from a year ago, set to invade the KFC Yum! Center on Aug. 29.
The Cardinals host the Cardinal Classic the weekend of Aug. 31-Sept. 1 when NCAA participant Duke, Marshall and Samford will face off at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals play in another tournament, but this one will be on the road, as the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge marks its fourth year as one of the most the popular events on the calendar. Cincinnati, the league tournament champions and Louisville, the league regular season champions, will be repping the BIG EAST and Purdue (Sweet 16) and Illinois (NCAA Finalist) from the Big Ten will meet in Cincinnati on Sept. 7-8. There is one final home tournament, beginning Sept. 14 that will feature rival Middle Tennessee, UNLV and Miami (Fla.) with MTSU and UM combining for 47 wins a year ago to cap off an ambitious non-conference slate.
The Cardinals will kick off BIG EAST play on Sept. 21 and 23 when DePaul and Notre Dame make the conference swing through the KFC Yum! Center. Next, U of L hits the road for travel partners South Florida and Pitt on Sept. 28 and 30.
U of L then returns to the Ville for a BIG EAST matchup against Seton Hall in Cardinal Arena on Oct. 6 followed by Rutgers on Oct. 7 in the KFC Yum! Center. Powerhouse Texas will square off against the Cards on Oct. 8 in a marquee matchup. The Longhorns are coming off an Elite Eight appearance from a year ago.
After Texas, the Cardinals hit the road for the heart of their BIG EAST slate in five straight road matches with St. John's (Oct. 12), UConn (Oct. 14) , Syracuse (Oct. 19), Marquette (Oct. 21) and Cincinnati (Oct. 27) on tap. Louisville will then head to regional rival Tennessee with an Oct. 3 matchup in Knoxville. The Cardinals conclude the home BIG EAST slate with four consecutive matches. Villanova shows up Nov. 2 followed by Georgetown on Nov. 9. Marquette and Cincinnati, both NCAA teams last year, will close out the regular league schedule with matchups slated for Nov. 9 and Nov.11 respectively.
The BIG EAST Conference Championship will take place Nov. 16-18 in Pittsburgh, where the six-time tournament champion Cardinals will attempt to add a seventh trophy to their crowded case.
Finally, the OVC Champion will visit Cardinal Arena on the Friday after Thanksgiving, just prior to the NCAA pairings announcement slated for that Sunday night.
Three weekends later, the culmination of the volleyball season brings the four best teams to Louisville. For the first time in the history of the NCAA tournament, the 2012 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship will hold its marquee weekend in the Derby City. The University of Louisville is set to host the National Semifinals and the National Championship match on December 13 & 15, 2012 in the KFC Yum! Center. All-Session tickets are available at www.ncaa.com
Season tickets are now on sale with 15-match plans beginning at less than $6 per match for all the exciting action at the KFC Yum! Center this fall. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.UofLSports.com.
