University of Houston Athletics
2004 Volleyball Schedule Loaded With Top Teams
8/16/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 16, 2004
HOUSTON - The University of Houston's women's volleyball team released its 2004 schedule that includes 15 home matches, four matches against pre-season top-25 teams and six teams that were invited to the 2003 NCAA Tournament.
"It has always been my philosophy to schedule as tough a schedule as I can," said head coach Bill Walton. "We don't believe in playing a bunch of easy teams to start conference with a 10-0 record."
When planning for the upcoming season the Cougars look to schedule teams that will help them reach their goals. "Our goal every year is to make the NCAA Tournament and playing hard teams should then help us advance in the postseason."
Two out of the Cougars' first three matches are against preseason top-25 teams. Houston opens up the 2004 season at home Sept. 3-5 when Maryland, No. 14 Kansas State and No. 10 Cal come to town for the University of Houston Volleyball Tournament at Hofheinz Pavilion.
The Cougars then play host to in-state rival Texas the following Tuesday, Sept. 7, before heading out on a seven-game road trip that includes stops at the University of Texas-Arlington Tournament, Rice and the Arkansas Tournament.
Houston returns home on Sept. 28 to face Texas State before beginning conference play on Oct. 1 at home against Southern Miss.
During the conference season the Cougars play seven matches at home and six on the road. The teams making the trip to Houston include Southern Miss, Tulane, Cincinnati, 2003 defending C-USA Champion Louisville, UAB, USF and TCU.
The Cougars close out the 2004 home season on Nov. 9 against Rice and finish up the season on the road against Saint Louis, Memphis, at the C-USA Tournament and then face Alabama and LSU at the C-USA/SEC Challenge in Baton Rouge, La.
**For the complete 2004 Cougar season click on "Schedule/Results" at the top of the page.
