Elon Volleyball Reveals 2013 Slate

ELON, N.C. – Elon University head volleyball coach Mary Tendler has announced the upcoming 2013 schedule for Phoenix. Elon enters its 41st year of volleyball with Tendler marking her 11th season as the leader of the maroon and gold. This season’s slate includes the familiar Southern Conference foes, as well as tournaments at Navy, Central Florida and Charlotte.

“Our team has a lot of experience returning and we had a great spring season, which was topped off by four competitive matches in Europe,” said Tendler. “With the strengths and personalities of the incoming players added to our returners, I feel the 2013 squad will have very good depth and great team chemistry. If we can continue to improve as we go through our non-conference schedule, we will put ourselves in a position to have a successful conference campaign.”

The Phoenix will begin the season in Annapolis, Md., at the Kristen Dickmann/Navy Invitational on Friday, August 30. Elon will face Illinois-Chicago, UNC Wilmington and host Navy in the two-day tournament.

Elon’s home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 30, as the Phoenix hosts Campbell in a 7 p.m. match in Alumni Gym.

The team will then travel south to Orlando for the Holiday Inn Select/UCF Classic on Sept. 6-7. Elon will meet the Knights of UCF, as well as Stephen F. Austin and George Washington.

After a match at nearby High Point on Tuesday, Sept. 10, the team hosts the annual Elon Phoenix Classic on Sept. 13-14 when it welcomes North Carolina Central, East Carolina and Gardner-Webb to campus for the two-day tournament.

The Highlanders of Radford will make a visit to Alumni Gym on Wednesday, Sept. 18, before Elon travels down I-85 for the 49er Invitational at Charlotte. Besides host Charlotte, the tournament on Sept. 20-21 will display Tennessee State and South Carolina State.

The Phoenix will open up SoCon play on Friday, Sept. 27, at Georgia Southern before playing at The Citadel on Sept. 28. Elon will play at UNCG and Davidson on Oct. 2 and Oct. 4, respectively, before closing out an eight-match road swing at North Carolina A&T on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

Elon returns home on Oct. 11 to host The Citadel and welcomes Georgia Southern the following afternoon.

After traveling to Samford and Chattanooga on Oct. 18-19, the Phoenix has four straight home matches in Alumni Gym, beginning with Furman on Oct. 25. Elon plays Wofford on Oct. 26, Appalachian State on Nov. 1 and Western Carolina on Nov. 2.

The maroon and gold will play its last two regular-season road matches at Wofford and Furman on Nov. 8-9. Local rival UNCG comes to Alumni Gym on Wednesday, Nov. 13, before a match against Davidson on Saturday, Nov. 16, which will mark the final regular-season match and senior night.

Furman will host the 2013 SoCon Volleyball Championship, which will take place on Nov. 23-25 in Greenville, S.C., in Alley Gym.

Elon finished last season with a 16-16 overall mark and a 9-7 record in SoCon play, claiming second in the North Division. The Phoenix will look to make the eight-team SoCon Tournament field for the fourth consecutive season.