EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Head Volleyball Coach Kim Wudi has announced the Blugolds' 2016-17 schedule.
The Blugolds will kick off the season on the road next fall, traveling to the University of Chicago for a tournament on September 2. The home opener will be on September 16 as part of the Nike/Eastbay Fall Classic. The Blugolds will play Bethel on Friday night and face Concordia-Moorhead and St. Norbert on Saturday in the 10-team classic. The Blugolds will host another 10-team tournament Oct. 14-15 for the Sandy Schumacher Memorial Tournament.
"I definitely favor a schedule that challenges us and pushes us out of our comfort zone," said Wudi. "This year's schedule is no different – almost half of our opponents competed in the NCAA tournament in 2015. For us to not only earn another bid to the tournament but to advance beyond the regional round, we'll need to prove that we can compete with the best teams in the country."
Most of the teams on the Blugolds' 2016 schedule are familiar opponents, but UW-Eau Claire will face perennial powerhouses Calvin and Bowdoin for the first time. Calvin won the NCAA Championship in 2010 and 2013 and finished runner-up in 2012, while Bowdoin advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2015 before losing to eventual national champion Cal-Lutheran.
The Blugolds began their spring non-traditional season on March 13, and will train for five weeks before hosting a play date on Saturday, April 16. From May 23-June 3, the team will participate in a foreign tour that will take them to the Netherlands, Belgium and France. While overseas, they will play five matches against club teams in Amsterdam and Paris in addition to visiting historic and cultural landmarks in the region.
