May 27, 2003
Bowling Green, Ky. - The road ahead has been paved for the 2003 Western Kentucky University volleyball team as it looks to repeat 2002's record-setting performance. Last year's Lady Toppers won a school-record 33 matches, their first Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship and played in their first-ever NCAA Tournament.
"The schedule that we have put together will provide quite a challenge for our experienced returning group," said head coach Travis Hudson. "Every weekend of the non-conference portion of our schedule presents us with tests that should make us tougher by conference time."
To duplicate last year's success, which included a perfect 14-0 SBC record and a 19-match win streak, Hudson's squad will have to prove their mettle against a schedule which includes three NCAA Tournament teams and four regular-season tournaments. WKU will host its own round-robin event in the newly-renovated E.A. Diddle Arena (Sept. 12-13).
Western gets its 2003 season underway Aug. 29-30 in DeKalb, Ill., with a match against Kansas on the opening day of Northern Illinois' tournament. After matches against host NIU and Liberty on Aug. 30, the Lady Toppers return to Bowling Green, Ky., for their home opener, a Sept. 2 match with Lipscomb.
WKU will also make road trips to Kent, Ohio, and Bloomington, Ind., for tournaments hosted by Kent State and Indiana, respectively. The Hoosiers are one of three NCAA Tournament teams on Western's slate for 2003. The Lady Toppers will also face Cincinnati on the road (Sept. 16) and take on Tennessee-Martin, the 2002 Ohio Valley Conference champion, in Diddle Arena during WKU's tournament. Toledo and James Madison will join the Skyhawks to round out the tournament field.
League play begins Sept. 26 with a road trip to Lafayette, La., for a match with Louisiana-Lafayette. Western will welcome New Mexico State to Bowling Green on Oct. 17. The Aggies claimed the West Division title last season to earn the second seed in the SBC Tournament, where they were defeated 3-2 by the Lady Toppers in the championship match. WKU will host this year's SBC Tournament, Nov. 20-22, for the third time in school history and the first since 1985. Playing on their home floor, where they have won their last 26 matches, will only help the Lady Toppers in their quest to repeat as SBC champions.
"We could not be more pleased than to have the Sun Belt Tournament in Diddle," said Hudson. "We feel it will be a huge advantage to host the tournament, since we have not lost a home match in over two years."
Hudson will look to SBC Defensive Player of the Year senior Tracy May and sophomore Amanda Schiff, who paced the conference with a .327 hitting percentage, to lead the Lady Toppers and help overcome the loss of the SBC's Player of the Year, Sara Noe.
- WKU -
