YSU VOLLEYBALL Penguins strengthen non-league schedule

YSU will play its first 14 matches on the road.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Three NCAA tournament teams and members of the ACC, Big Ten and Big XII highlight a demanding schedule for the 2002 Youngstown State volleyball team.
"We definitely have a tougher schedule this season," said YSU coach Joe Conroy, who is entering his 11th season. "After heading into the Horizon League for the first time last year and seeing how strong the league is, we need to prepare better by playing tougher opponents in our non-league matches. This schedule allows us to do that."
The Penguins, who play their first 14 matches on the road, open at the Florida Atlantic Classic (Aug. 30-31) in Boca Raton, Fla.
They face host Florida Atlantic in the opener and Minnesota, a second-round N CAA participant, in the second round and ACC member North Carolina State.
For the next three weeks, the Penguins will play at the Toledo Rocket Volleyball Classic (Sept. 6-7), UMKC Kangaroo Classic (Sept. 13-14) and the Western New York Holiday Inn Invitational (Sept. 21-22).
Prior to opening its Horizon League schedule, YSU will play at West Virginia.
The Penguins will play only eight home matches and opens Horizon League play in its home opener with Cleveland State on Sept. 27 at Beeghly Center.
Schedule
The complete schedule follows:
Aug. 30 -- at Florida Atlantic; Aug. 31 -- vs. Minnesota; Aug. 31 -- vs. North Carolina State; Sept. 6 -- at Toledo; Sept. 7 -- vs. Jacksonville State; Sept. 7 -- vs. Chicago State; Sept. 13 -- vs. Winthrop; Sept. 13 -- vs. Duquesne; Sept 14 -- vs. Iowa State; Sept. 14 -- at UMKC; Sept. 21 -- vs. Stony Brook; Sept. 22 -- at Niagara; Sept. 22 -- at Buffalo; Sept. 24 -- at West Virginia.
Sept. 27 -- Cleveland State*; Oct. 1 -- St. Francis, Pa.; Oct. 4 -- at UW-Milwaukee*; Oct. 5 -- at UW-Green Bay*; Oct. 11 -- Loyola of Chicago*; Oct. 12 -- Illinois Chicago*; Oct. 18 -- at Butler*; Oct. 19 -- at Wright State*; Oct. 25 -- at Cleveland St.*; Nov. 1 -- UW-Green Bay*; Nov. 2 -- UW--Milwaukee*; Nov. 8 -- at Illinois Chicago*; Nov. 9 -- at Loyola of Chicago*; No. 13 -- at Robert Morris; Nov. 15 -- Wright State*; Nov. 16 -- Butler*; Nov. 22-24 -- Horizon League Tournament at Green Bay, Wis.
*Horizon League games.