Hempstead, NY - Hofstra University Head Volleyball Coach Kristina Hernandez today released her 2010 schedule, a slate that includes four matches against teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2009 and 11 matches against squads that won at least 20 matches a season ago.
For the second year in a row Hofstra will also host a match in the Mack Sports Complex as Fairfield will the 5,045-seat arena on September 22.
Hofstra will being the 2010 campaign on August 27 and 28 when they host the annual Hofstra/Asics Invitational at the Physical Fitness Center. The four-team tournament will feature six matches over two days with Canisius, Texas State and Missouri State joining the Pride in the invitational. The match against Texas State will be Hofstra's first in 2010 against a team that went to the NCAA Tournament last season as they compiled a 22-13 record a season ago.
The month of September will see Hofstra play in three tournaments and also play four non-conference matches before beginning Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play at the end of the month.
After hosting Iona on September 1, the Pride will head to the Thunder Invitational Tourney at Marshall in Huntington, West Virginia on September 3-4. Hofstra will face Marshall, Cleveland State and High Point at the tournament, with all three teams having won at least 17 matches last season. Marshall was 22-9 in 2009, while Cleveland State went 26-8.
The 9th Annual Queens-Nassau Cup Match against St. John's will follow on September 8 before Hofstra takes part in the 2010 Bradley Braves Invitational in Peoria, Illinois on September 10-11. In addition to the host Braves, Hofstra will meet-up with Valparaiso and Presbyterian.
Hofstra returns home to the Physical Fitness Center on September 14 when they take on Seton Hall before heading on the road for six of the final seven matches of the month, starting with an appearance in the West Point Challenge in West Point, New York. Hofstra will face Buffalo, Bryant, Air Force and Army in the tournament that takes place on September 17 and 19 before opening conference action on September 24 against William & Mary. Army won 26 matches last year and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
After facing the Tribe, Hofstra will continue on its road trip with a contest against Virginia Commonwealth on September 25. That match will take place at Crosby High School in Midlothian, Virginia.
The month of October will see Hofstra play a total of 12 matches, including 10 against conference foes. The lone non-conference matches will be a October 6 contest at Fordham and an October 26 match versus Siena.
Hofstra will close the regular season in November with three road matches, traveling to Northeastern, George Mason and James Madison. It will be the second meeting for Hofstra against all three and the fourth match during the regular season against a team that made the NCAA Tournament last year as George Mason went 23-9 in 2009 en route to the CAA title.
The CAA Championship will take place on November 20-21 at the highest seed and the NCAA Tournament gets underway on December 2.
