Husker volleyball schedule is announced

The Husker volleyball team will face more than its share of quality competition during the 2008 season.

The schedule for the Nebraska volleyball team was announced Thursday, and a young Husker team will be tested early and often during the nonconference part of their schedule.

Nebraska opens up with the AVCA Showcase, set for Aug. 29-31 at the Qwest Center in Omaha. Nebraska will face two of the top teams in the Pac 10 Conference, battling Stanford on Aug. 29 and USC on Aug. 31.

The Huskers will also experience a rare doubleheder when they compete at the Cal Poly Invite on Sept. 5. Nebraska will play Northeastern in the afternoon and host Cal Poly, a Big West contender, that evening. They will also face Tulane during that tournament.

The following weekend, the Huskers host their annual Players Challenge at the UNL Coliseum, where they will face a tough LSU squad and could also see a talented St. John's team Sept. 12-13.

The conference schedule will have its challenges, including a tough first two games. The Huskers travel to Kansas State on Sept. 17 and have their home opener against a very tough and loaded Texas squad on Sept. 20.

The 2008 Husker volleyball schedule is as follows (home games at UNL Coliseum unless otherwise noted, all times Central):

AVCA Showcase (at Qwest Center) -- Aug. 29: vs. Stanford, 7 p.m.; Aug. 31: vs. USC, 3 p.m.

Sept. 1: vs. Oral Roberts, 4 p.m.

Cal Poly Invite -- Sept. 5: vs. Northeastern, 2 p.m.; vs. Cal Poly, 9:30 p.m.; Sept. 6: vs. Tulane, 8:30 p.m.

Players Challenge (at Devaney Center) -- Sept. 12: vs. LSU, 7 p.m.; Sept. 13: vs. St. John's or New Mexico, TBA

Sept. 17: at Kansas State, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20: Texas, 7 p.m.
Sept. 24: Kansas, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27: at Iowa State, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 1: at Texas Tech, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4: Colorado, 7 p.m.
Oct. 5: at Creighton (Qwest Center), 5 p.m.
Oct. 8: Oklahoma, 7 p.m.
Oct. 12: at Missouri, 1 p.m.
Oct. 15: Baylor, 7 p.m.
Oct. 22: Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
Oct. 25: at Oklahoma, 7 p.m.
Oct. 29: at Colorado, 8 p.m.
Nov. 1: Iowa State, 7 p.m.
Nov. 5: at Texas A&M, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 8: Kansas State, TBA
Nov. 12: Missouri, 7 p.m.
Nov. 15: at Kansas, TBA
Nov. 19: at Texas, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 22: Texas Tech, 7 p.m.
Nov. 29: at Baylor, 7 p.m.