SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA volleyball program has released a 22-match schedule for the spring season, including 10 matches at the Convocation Center, it was announced by head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff.
The fall volleyball schedule was postponed to the spring for Conference USA schools and the teams will now play a 12-match league schedule based upon the health/safety guidelines, including six road and six home matches against a total of six teams.
UTSA's schedule includes 10 non-conference matches against eight teams, including a pair against both Tulane and SMU, and home tilts vs. Texas, UIW and Texas State.
UTSA will open its 2021 spring schedule with a two-match neutral-site event on Jan. 22-23, facing UTRGV on Friday and host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday in Corpus Christi, Texas.
UTSA then faces Tulane on Jan. 28-29 in New Orleans before opening its home schedule with UIW at 1 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the Convocation Center.
The Roadrunners then travel to Dallas for a two-match swing at SMU (Feb. 4-5). UTSA will host Texas State on Feb. 11 and open league play with two vs. North Texas in San Antonio (Feb. 14-15).
UTSA will then travel to El Paso, Texas, to face UTEP (Feb. 21-22) before returning to the Convocation Center to host Texas on Feb. 25.
UTSA will welcome Rice (Feb. 28, March 1) before venturing to Ruston, La., for two at Louisiana Tech (March 7-8).
UTSA wraps up its home slate with two vs. Southern Miss (March 14-15) and then travels to conclude the league regular season at UAB in Birmingham (March 21-22). UTSA will host a non-conference foe at home on March 26, with further details on the opponent still to be announced.
The Conference USA Championships are slated to begin on April 1 in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Season tickets are available for purchase in blocks of two or four seats by contacting the UTSA Ticket Office at 210-458-UTSA (8872) or ticketoffice@utsa.edu.
The Roadrunners return several key contributors from the 2019 season, including juniors Mia Perales, Skyeler Embry, Kirby Smith, Hannah Lopez and Mia Ybarra. UTSA had strong contributions from its freshman last year, including Bianca Ejesieme, Courtney Walters and Hunter Coppola. The Roadrunners will add freshman Kelsey Carpenter, Amanda Ifeanyi, Maddie Thayer and Alicia Coppedge to the roster for 2020. UTSA has also added a pair of upper-class transfers in Southeastern Louisiana libero/defensive specialist Alexis Pratt and Davidson middle blocker Alison Jennings, and a sophomore middle blocker transfer from Texas Tech, Jessica Langridge.
UTSA is under the direction of 19th year head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff, the program's winningest coach and a San Antonio Sports Hall of Famer. She's joined on the staff by Jeff Fiorenza, who shined as a young up-and-coming coaching mind for the last two seasons under Kentucky head coach Craig Skinner, where the Wildcats won two Southeastern Conference Championships.
COVID-19 SAFETY POLICIES
UTSA Athletics announced a comprehensive plan for fans to attend home volleyball matches as safely as possible this season at the Convocation Center.
The plan, which will allow attendance at a reduced capacity of 15% and with physical distancing measures, follows all state and local health directives and focuses on risk mitigation strategies that promote the safety of student-athletes, fans and staff. Since the situation remains fluid and continues to evolve, the plan is subject to change based on emerging information as well as local and state health developments.
Based upon recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Texas Department of State Health Services, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, the UTSA Recovery Operations Committee and the UTSA Public Health Task Force, the following measures will be implemented at the Convocation Center:
- Face coverings are required to be worn properly (covering the nose and mouth) by all fans present at the Convocation Center, except when eating or drinking in their seat. Following State of Texas guidelines, exemptions apply for young children and persons who are unable to adjust or remove face coverings.
- Enhanced cleaning and sanitization procedures will be performed prior to and during all home games.
- Updated entrance and exit procedures for fans will be implemented to maximize physical distancing.
- All guests will be advised to practice physical distancing including standing at least six feet away from other groups of people not traveling with them while standing in lines.
- Numerous hand-sanitization stations have been installed throughout all public areas.
- UTSA has implemented updated protocols for all concessions areas. Both the upper and lower level concession stands will be in operation and serve only prepackaged items such as snacks, single-serve condiment packets and bottled/canned beverages. Additional safety measures, including cashless operations, plexiglass shields and floor markings to encourage physical distancing will be implemented.
- All game day operations staff will receive training on COVID-19 safety and sanitation protocols, including enhanced training for staff who may have more frequent guest contact.
- Capacity has been reduced to 15% (612) and no courtside or East side floor-level seats will be available for purchase this season.
For complete game day safety procedures, please visit http://goUTSA.com/utsafanguidelines.
- UTSA -