SEASON COMMENCES FRIDAY
The 2024 volleyball season will begin on Friday, August 30 with a full slate of matches from around the country. The season kicks off with a 10 a.m. (ET) match between Charlotte and UTRGV in Greenville, SC. Opening day will finish with Tulsa taking on 23rd ranked Baylor in Waco at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
RICE SELECTED PRESEASON FAVORITES
For the first time, the Rice Owls were selected as the preseason favorite in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Owls were named the favorites after receiving eight first-place votes from the league’s other coaches, earning 136 points. Wichita State finished in a close second with four first-place votes and 127 total points, while South Florida earned one first-place vote and 121 points.
East Carolina was picked fourth with 106 points, while Florida Atlantic rounded out the top five with 104 points. North Texas was selected to finish sixth with 86 points, followed by UTSA (79), Temple (57), Memphis (56), Tulsa (52), Charlotte (36), Tulane (30) and UAB (24).
EAST CAROLINA’S ALDERETE NAME PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
East Carolina’s junior outside hitter Angeles Alderete was named the Preseason Player of the Year. It marks the first time that a Pirate has been selected for the award. Alderete is a two-time American All-Conference selection, including earning a first team selection a season ago. The junior led the Pirates in kills (376), kills per set (3.19), total digs (364), points (430.5) and points per set (3.65) in 2023.
SHOCKERS LOOK TO CONTINUE SUCCESS FROM 2023
Wichita State will look to continue the hot hand they had at the end of the 2023 season, where they became the first American program to win the NIVC, defeating UTEP 3-0 in the championship match. The Shockers were picked to finish second in the preseason coaches’ poll, receiving four first place votes.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30
Charlotte vs UTRGV_________________________________ 10 a.m.
East Carolina vs Queens____________________________ 11 a.m.
Tulane at New Mexico______________________________ 11:30 a.m.
Florida Atlantic at Bryant___________________________ 12 p.m.
Temple vs Rider (ESPN+)____________________________ 12 p.m.
Wichita State at Kennesaw State (ESPN+)____________ 12 p.m.
UTSA vs William & Mary_____________________________ 1:30 p.m.
Tulsa vs Campbell__________________________________ 2 p.m.
Memphis vs Mississippi Valley State (ESPN+)_________ 2 p.m.
Charlotte vs Charleston Southern___________________ 4:30 p.m.
Tulane vs UC Irvine_________________________________ 6 p.m.
East Carolina at UNCW______________________________ 6 p.m.
South Florida at 20 Florida State (ESPN+)_____________ 6 p.m.
UTSA at Old Dominion (ESPN+)_______________________ 7 p.m.
Florida Atlantic vs Seton Hall________________________ 7 p.m.
Rice vs Houston Christian (ESPN+)___________________ 8 p.m.
Memphis vs Tennessee Tech (ESPN+)________________ 8 p.m.
North Texas vs RV Colorado (ESPN+)__________________ 8 p.m.
UAB vs Alcorn State (ESPN+)________________________ 8 p.m.
Tulsa at 23 Baylor (ESPN+)___________________________ 8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 31
Wichita State vs RV Indiana__________________________ 10 a.m.
UTSA vs Marist____________________________________ 10 a.m.
Tulane vs North Dakota_____________________________ 12:30 p.m.
Florida Atlantic vs Ball State________________________ 1 p.m.
Charlotte vs Furman (ESPN+)________________________ 1 p.m.
Temple vs FDU (ESPN+)_____________________________ 1 p.m.
South Florida vs 25 Georgia__________________________ 1 p.m.
East Carolina vs Loyola (Md.)________________________ 1:30 p.m.
Memphis vs Austin Peay (ESPN+)____________________ 2 p.m.
Temple vs Radford (ESPN+)_________________________ 3:30 p.m.
Wichita State at Kennesaw State (ESPN+)____________ 3:30 p.m.
Rice vs RV Texas State (ESPN+)_______________________ 4 p.m.
UAB vs Mississippi State (ESPN+)___________________ 6 p.m.
North Texas vs Rutgers (ESPN+)_____________________ 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
South Florida vs UC Santa Barbara__________________ 11 a.m.
Tulsa vs Abilene Christian__________________________ 12 p.m.
Temple vs 7 Penn State (ESPN+)_____________________ 1:30 p.m.
Charlotte vs UCF (ESPN+)___________________________ 3 p.m.
North Texas vs RV Miami (ESPN+)_____________________ 4 p.m.
All times ET and subject to change
