UE Volleyball unveils 2024 season schedule
Aces open season in Puerto Rico
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With the return of 12 players including reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Giulia Cardona, the 2024 season is shaping up to be a memorable one for the University of Evansville volleyball team.
Led by Cardona and former MVC All-Conference honoree Melanie Feliciano, the Purple Aces look to rise up the league standings and replicate the success of the past handful of seasons including the 2021 campaign that saw the team win 21 matches on their way to a berth in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
In what will be a special trip to multiple reasons, the Aces open the season in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico where they will take part in a tournament inside Mario Morales Coliseum. With the number of ties to Puerto Rico within the UE program, it will be a homecoming for many while presenting others with the opportunity to experience the heritage of their teammates. The event runs from August 30 through September 1 with UE facing Akron, University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras, and Providence.
Making its return in 2024 is the Dunn Hospitality Tournament. Taking place on Sept. 6-7, the tournament will see Evansville play host to Chicago State, Samford and Miami Ohio inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse. Samford highlights the field as they went 16-15 last season and 13-9 in the Southern Conference.
The third non-conference tournament of the season will see the Aces head to Morehead, Ky. for the Comfort Inn-Vitational. Set for Sept. 13-14, UE will take on Eastern Michigan, Duquesne, and Morehead State. The Eagles are coming off an 18-13 campaign last year while winning 11 Ohio Valley Conference matches.
On Sept. 17, the Aces welcome crosstown squad USI to Meeks Family Fieldhouse. The Screaming Eagles won 15 matches in 2023, a 14-win improvement over 2022. Later that week, UE will face USI in a rematch across town at Screaming Eagles Arena. That match will take place on Friday, Sept. 20. On the 22nd, Evansville faces IU Indianapolis across town on the USI campus.
Missouri Valley Conference play opens with home matches on the 27th and 28th with Valparaiso and UIC coming to town. The Beacons won 18 matches last season on their way to a spot in the NIVC while the Flames had an even more impressive season, going 21-12 and 11-7 in the Valley. October begins with four league road matches. After opening the month with the Belmont/Murray State (Oct. 4-5) trip, UE heads to Bradley and Illinois State on the 11th and 12th.
UE is back home on the 18th and 19th to face Southern Illinois and Missouri State. SIU won 20 contests in 2023 and played in the NIVC. The Bears were an even 16-16 overall and 9-9 in the league. Following a road match at Indiana State on Oct. 21, UE makes the weekend swing through Iowa on the 25th and 26th. The Aces open the weekend at Northern Iowa, who went 26-7 last year and a perfect 18-0 in the MVC on their way to the league championship and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Drake is coming off a second-place finish in the league as they won 24 matches on the season while going 14-4 in the MVC.
Four home matches follow, beginning on Nov. 1-2 with Illinois State and Bradley coming to Meeks Family Fieldhouse. One week later, Evansville welcomes Murray State and Belmont. The final road trip will see the Aces head to UIC and Valparaiso before returning home to close out the regular season against Indiana State on Nov. 20.
UNI is slated to hose the 2024 MVC Volleyball Championship from Nov. 23-26.
