SIOUX FALLS -- The University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Team, which recorded a second straight winning season in a 17-14 season in 2014, will face a challenging 29-match schedule in 2015 but one ripe with opportunity, according to USF Head Volleyball Coach Joel McCartney.

“We feel this schedule is the most challenging our program has faced but ultimately the right fit for our goal of competing at the very highest level,” said McCartney, who directed USF to a program-best 11 wins (11-9) in the NSIC a year ago. The Cougars also advanced to the NSIC/US Bank Conference Tourney for a second straight year as a member of one of the elite leagues in NCAA DII.

In 2015, USF will face five teams which were ranked in the top-six of NCAA Division II in the final AVCA Poll in 2014. Four of those five teams (Concordia St. Paul, Minnesota-Duluth, Southwest Minnesota State and Wayne State) are fellow conference members. This season, USF will play 24 different teams, including 15 with winning records. Nine of USF's opponents with winning marks are NSIC squads.

USF, which has 10 home matches and 14 on the road or at neutral site locations, opens the season with a 10-match road stretch beginning with Flagler on Sept. 3 in St. Augustine, Fla. During that opening weekend, they will also face Southeastern Oklahoma State and Southern New Hampshire on Sept. 4 before matching up with Spring Hill and Rollins on Sept. 5 at Winter Park, Fla.

“We always try and plan one non-conference trip that allows our athletes to travel outside the region as a cultural experience,” said McCartney. “This year's trip to Florida allows our student-athletes to witness the 450th birthday celebration of our nation's oldest city (St. Augustine).”

From Florida, USF travels to Kearney, Neb., for four matches, including Nebraska-Kearney, which finished the season ranked #5 in a 27-4 season, on Saturday, Sept. 12. USF will play Northwestern Oklahoma State and Illinois-Springfield on Sept. 11 and Chadron State on Sept. 12.  The Cougars begin the conference slate with a match on Thursday, Sept. 17 at Wayne State, which finished 27-7 a year ago and was ranked #6 in the final AVCA poll.

“We will always try to schedule competitive non-conference matches to prepare for the challenging NSIC league play and I feel we accomplished that mission with this schedule,” said McCartney. “The conference is growing more competitive every year as evidenced by the number of teams (six) that were in and out of last season's Top 25 poll," he said.

In league play, USF will have home and away matches with national runner-up Southwest Minnesota State (#2 in the AVCA Poll) and seven-time national champion Concordia St. Paul, (#4 in AVCA Poll). USF will face SMSU at the Stewart Center on Tuesday Sept. 22 and go to Marshall, Minn., on Tuesday, Oct. 20. They also host CSP at home on Saturday, Sept. 26 and visit St. Paul on Friday, Nov. 13. The Cougars will also welcome Minnesota-Duluth (#3 in final AVCA Poll, 33-2 overall, 20-0 in the NSIC in 2014) to the Stewart Center on Saturday, Oct. 10.

Other home-away opponents included Minnesota State (Friday, Sept. 25 at home and Saturday, Nov.14 on the road); Winona State (Friday, Oct. 2 in Winona and Saturday, Nov. 7 at home) as well as Upper Iowa (Saturday, Oct. 3 in Fayette, Iowa and Friday, Nov. 6 at home).

USF will look to extend a two-match winning streak against city rival Augustana when they host the Vikings at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19. The Cougars will also face St. Cloud State on Friday, Oct. 9, Northern State on Friday, Oct. 23 and MSU-Moorhead on Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Stewart Center.

Other road encounters include Bemidji State on Friday, Oct. 16, Minnesota-Crookston on Saturday, Oct. 17, U-Mary on Friday, Oct. 30 and Minot State on Saturday, Oct. 31. The NSIC/US Bank Tournament will be held Nov. 18-21 with the NCAA DII Central Region Tourney scheduled for Dec. 3-5.

2015 Sioux Falls Volleyball Schedule

Thur., Sept. 3 -- Flagler St. Augustine, Fla., 5 p.m.

Fri., Sept. 4 -- Southeastern Oklahoma St., Winter Park, Fla., 10 a.m.

Fri., Sept. 4 -- Southern New Hampshire Winter Park, Fla., 4 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 5 -- Spring Hill, Winter Park, Fla., 10 a.m.

Sat., Sept. 5 -- Rollins, Winter Park, Fla., 6 p.m.

Fri., Sept. 11 -- Northwestern Oklahoma St., Kearney, Neb., 10 a.m.

Fri., Sept. 11 -- Illinois-Springfield, Kearney, Neb., 6 p.m.

Sat, Sept. 12 -- Chadron State, Kearney, Neb.,10 a.m.

Sat., Sept. 12 -- Nebraska-Kearney, Kearney, Neb., 6 p.m.

Thu., Sept. 17 -- Wayne State,* Wayne, Neb., 7 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 19 -- Augustana College,* Stewart Center, 2 p.m.

Tue., Sept. 22 -- Southwest Minnesota State,* Stewart Center, 7 p.m.

Fri., Sept. 25 -- Minnesota State,* Stewart Center, 7 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 26 -- Concordia-St. Paul,* Stewart Center, 2 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 2 -- Winona State,* Winona, Minn., 7 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 3 -- Upper Iowa,* Fayette, Iowa, 4 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 9 -- St. Cloud State,* Stewart Center, 7 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 10 -- Minnesota Duluth,* Stewart Center, 2 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 16 -- Bemidji State,* Bemidji, Minn., 7 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 17 -- Minnesota Crookston,* Crookston, Minn., 4 p.m.

Tue., Oct. 20 -- Southwest Minnesota State,* Marshall, Minn., 7 p.m.

Fri., Oct .23 -- Northern State,* Stewart Center, 7 p.m.

Sat,. Oct. 24 -- MSU Moorhead,* Stewart Center, 4 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 30 -- University of Mary,* Bismarck, N.D., 7 p.m.

Sat., Oct .31 -- Minot State,* Minot, N.D., 4 p.m.

Fri., Nov. 6 -- Upper Iowa,* Senior Night, Stewart Center, 7 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 7 -- Winona State,* Stewart Center, 4 p.m.

Fri., Nov. 13 -- Concordia-St. Paul* St. Paul, Minn. ,7 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 14 -- Minnesota State* Mankato, Minn., 4 p.m.

Nov. 18-21 -- NSIC/US Bank Tournament

Dec. 3-5 -- NCAA Central Region Tournament

*NSIC Match