NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware women’s volleyball squad will travel to the sunny south three times, taking part in tournaments in Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina to highlight the 2007 schedule announced Wednesday by head coach Bonnie Kenny (at right).

The Blue Hens are coming off an outstanding season in 2006 as Delaware posted a record of 21-9 overall, placed fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association standings, and advanced to the CAA Tournament semifinals before falling to eventual champion Hofstra in five games. Delaware won its first 12 games to the start the season to set a school record and claimed tournament titles at Delaware and Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Delaware will return seven regulars led by first team All-CAA hitter Kelly Gibson, second team All-CAA and Academic All-American candidate Colleen Walsh, CAA All-Rookie selections Kelly Matthias and Michelle Lalonde, and CAA assist leader Megan Welch.

Delaware’s schedule will include four tournament appearances, starting with UD’s own Blue Hen/Asics Invitational Aug. 24-25 at Barbara Viera Court at Carpenter Sports Building. The Hens will open the season vs. Boston College Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. and will also take on Binghamton and the University of South Carolina on Aug. 25.

Other tournaments will see the Blue Hens travel to the University of New Orleans Tournament Aug. 31-Sept. 1, to the University of Miami Tournament in Florida Sept. 7-8, and to the Coastal Carolina Tournament in Conway, SC Sept. 14-15. The UNO Tournament will includes teams from New Orleans, Alcorn State, and Nicholls State, the Miami Tournament will include the host Hurricanes, Brown, and Loyola of Chicago, and the Coastal Carolina Tournament will also feature Coastal Carolina, Gardner-Webb, and Buffalo.

The Blue Hens will open CAA action Sept. 19 at home vs. Towson and will also play home matches vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (Sept. 21), UMBC (Sept. 25), Virginia Commonwealth (Oct. 5), William & Mary (Oct. 6), Georgia State (Oct. 19), UNC Wilmington (Oct. 20), Lehigh (Oct. 30), James Madison (Nov. 2), and George Mason (Nov. 3). The schedule also includes non-league road matches at Temple (Aug. 28), Delaware State (Sept. 4), and Villanova (Sept. 11).

Complete Schedule