Texas Tech University Athletics
Volleyball Announces 2003 Schedule
June 03, 2003 | Women's Volleyball
June 3, 2003
Lubbock, Texas - The Texas Tech volleyball program released the 2003 schedule Tuesday afternoon, which includes two preseason tournaments and a pair of non-conference road matches before embarking on a tough Big 12 Conference schedule.
Under first-year Head Coach Nancy Todd, the Red Raiders will begin the season with the Islander Invitational in Corpus Christi, Texas, followed by the Big Orange Bash hosted by Clemson. Tech will then hit the road the weekend of Sept. 9 as it plays UTEP and New Mexico State on consecutive days.
"We are really looking forward to our two pre-season tournaments as a good warm-up for Big 12 play," said Todd. "With the quality of talent we have returning from last season, and the group of incoming players, I feel like we can be very competitive and hopefully we can come away with a title or two."
Sept. 17 will mark the start of Big 12 play as the Red Raiders travel to Colorado before returning home for the first home match of the year against Kansas State, Sept. 20. Last year Tech split with the Buffaloes as each school won on the road, while the Wildcats swept the season series with both matches going the maximum five games.
The longest homestand of the year will be a three-match swing spanning Oct. 22-29 in which Tech will host Oklahoma, Missouri and Nebraska.
"The Big 12 is one of the two or three premier volleyball conferences in the nation," commented Todd. "The competition within the league is so tight this year that on any given night any team can win. That should make for some exciting matches throughout the season."
Tech will be battle-tested in 2003 after losing just three players from a team that went 14-15 (9-11 Big 12). Leading the way for the Red Raiders will be senior Angela Mooney and juniors Laura Grote, and Kelly Johnson. Grote's 13.26 assists per game average was second in the conference and 12th nationally, while Johnson's 4.99 kills per game average led the Big 12 and was 23rd in Division I. Mooney was third on the team in kills last year with 343.
