EIU Releases 2019 Volleyball Schedule

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois volleyball has released its 2019 schedule which will open on Labor Day weekend with the Panthers hosting the EIU Panther Invitational presented by Holiday Inn Express.

The season opening tournament will include matches against Memphis, Drake and South Dakota State with all the action taking place in Lantz Arena on August 30-31.

After opening the season at home, EIU will play three straight weeks on the road participating in tournaments at Central Michigan (Sept. 6-7), Evansville (Sept. 13-14) and Youngstown State (Sept. 20-21).

The Central Michigan tournament will include matches against host CMU, UIC and North Dakota State.  The tournament at Evansville includes the host Purple Aces along with Purdue Fort Wayne and Middle Tennessee.  The final tournament at Youngstown State will feature Central Michigan, Robert Morris (Pa.) and host YSU.

Ohio Valley Conference play will open and close at Lantz Arena this season for the Panthers.  EIU opens OVC play on Family Weekend (Sept. 27-28) hosting Murray State on Friday night and Austin Peay on Saturday.

The Panthers then play four straight on the road at SIUE, Belmont, Southeast Missouri and UT Martin before returning home on Oct. 18 and 19 to host Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State.

Four more road matches at Morehead State, Eastern Kentucky, Austin Peay and Murray State will take the Panthers into the month of November.

EIU then closes out the regular season with five straight home matches.  EIU hosts SIUE on Nov. 6 followed by Tennessee State on Nov. 9.  A non-conference match against Chicago State is on Monday, Nov. 11 before the final weekend against UT Martin and Southeast Missouri on Nov. 15-16.

This year’s Ohio Valley Conference Tournament will be played Nov. 21-23 and be hosted by the league’s regular season champion.

Head coach Julie Allen is in her second season leading the Panthers.  EIU returns ten players from last year’s roster including four starters.