EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team has released their competition scheduled for the Fall 2022 season.
In their quest for another championship title, the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball reigning national champion Blugolds have 28 regular season scheduled competitions and two early season exhibition matches set for the 2022 season. UW-Eau Claire will start their regular season on the road as they travel south for the Trinity National Invitational in San Antonio, TX and hosted by Trinity University. The opening tournament features three of the eight teams that traveled to the 2021 NCAA Quarterfinals in St. Louis, MO. The Blugolds will start things off with Berry College (GA) who fell to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the NCAA Quarterfinals and finished seventh in the AVCA.org coaches top 25 poll. The season opener is set for Friday, September 2nd at 12:15PM in the Ron & Genie Calgaard Gymnasium. UW-Eau Claire will also face the host school, Trinity University, on Saturday, September 3rd at 7PM. Trinity was also a 2021 NCAA quarterfinal team who fell in the Elite 8 to the eventual NCAA runners-up, Calvin College, and finished the year ranked fifth in the AVCA.org coaches' poll.
The following weekend the Blugolds return to the Midwest for a familiar scenery as they take part in the 2022 Auggie Invite, hosted by Augsburg University. The Blugolds will play three or four matches during the tournament on Friday and Saturday, September 9-10.
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play starts for Eau Claire on Wednesday, September 14th when they travel to UW-Platteville to face the Pioneers on Bo Ryan Court in the Williams Fieldhouse at 7PM. UWEC has won the last six matches between the two WIAC opponents and is 22-8-0 all-time against UWP.
The defending National Champions will host their home opener on Friday, September 16th during the ninth annual Sandy Schumacher Memorial Tournament. Eau Claire will begin their home tournament with Saint Benedict University (Minn.) at 7PM in the McPhee Physical Education Center gymnasium. The Blugolds will face off on Saturday, September 17th with Lakeland University at 11AM and St. Catherine University (Minn.) at 3PM to wrap up their first weekend at home.
On Wednesday, September 21st, UW-Eau Claire will host their first home WIAC matchup of the season against UW-River Falls at 7PM.
Other notable matches throughout the rest of the season include Wednesday, September 28th when Eau Claire hosts University of Northwestern-St. Paul in the McPhee gym. Both squads were part of the 2021 NCAA Regional hosted by UW-Eau Claire and the Blugolds began their National Championship season with a 3-0 road win against the Eagles. A rematch of the 2021 WIAC Tournament finals is set for Friday, October 28th when UWEC travels to UW-Whitewater for a 7PM matchup against the Warhawks.
The first round of the WIAC Championship Tournament is set for Tuesday, November 1st. The semifinals and final rounds of the conference tournament will be later that same week on Thursday and Saturday, November 3rd and 5th, with the higher seeds hosting.
NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball three-day regional round will begin on Friday, November 11th. The NCAA Quarterfinals are set for Thursday, November 17th in Pittsburgh, PA. The Final Four and NCAA Championship are the following Friday and Saturday on the 18th and 19th.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
