Cox Unveils 2009 Pacer Volleyball Schedule

AIKEN, S.C. – USC Aiken head volleyball coach Glenn Cox released his second schedule in charge of the Pacer volleyball program on Wednesday, June 17.

The 2009 USC Aiken volleyball schedule features the Pacers playing a full Peach Belt Conference slate along with playing in three regular season tournaments. One of the tournaments will be played at the Convocation Center with the USC Aiken volleyball program once again hosting the USC Aiken Volleyball Invitational on Sept. 4 and Sept. 5.

The 2009 USC Aiken Volleyball Invitational will feature six teams including the Pacers with Armstrong Atlantic State, Augusta State, Catawba, Florida Tech and Saint Andrews Presbyterian all scheduled to participate in the tournament.

The tournament will be the first of two tournaments that USC Aiken will host in the 2009 season with the Pacer volleyball program scheduled to host the Peach Belt Conference Volleyball Tournament Nov. 12-15 at the Convocation Center.

“I am excited about this year’s schedule,” remarked Cox. “We are going to be a very young, but dangerous team in 2009. I really think with our returning nucleus along with our newcomers that we have a chance to improve upon a great 2008 season in the upcoming season. Our goal was to build a program with great tradition, while also becoming a conference and national powerhouse and I think we are presently well on our way.”

Last year, the Pacers began the year 4-0 for the first time in program history. They will look to start strongly once again in 2009 at the West Georgia Tournament in Carrollton, Ga. During the two-day event that will take place on Aug. 28-29, the Pacers will square off against Albany State (Aug. 28 – 11:30 a.m.), Barton (Aug. 28 – 2 p.m.), Valdosta State (Aug. 29 – 10 a.m.) and Rollins (Aug. 29 – 12:30 p.m.).

The Pacers will play in their home facility for the first time after the West Georgia Tournament by playing host to the 2009 USC Aiken Volleyball Invitational. The Pacers are the defending champions in the event.

USC Aiken will play three matches in the USCA Invitational, opening the event at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4 against Saint Andrews. USC Aiken will then play two matches on Saturday. They will first take on Florida Tech at 10 a.m. before closing the tournament by playing Catawba at 3 p.m. The 2009 USCA Invitational will utilize two courts, but USC Aiken will play all three of its matches in the main arena.

The regular season tournament portion of the 2009 Pacer campaign will conclude the next weekend at the Limestone Tournament in Gaffney, S.C. The Pacers will play four teams in the tournament over the course of the two days. USC Aiken will play Tusculum (5 p.m.) and host Limestone (7 p.m.) on Friday, Sept. 11 and then conclude the event by playing Lenoir-Rhyne (9 a.m.) and Mount Olive (1 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 12.

The Pacers commence the Peach Belt Conference season at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16 against proximity rival Lander in Greenwood, S.C. USC Aiken has won 10 of the last 12 matches between the two and holds a 19-4 advantage all-time over the Bearcats.

Just two days later, USC Aiken will host its first PBC home regular season match of the year at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18 against new PBC member Flagler. USC Aiken will once again host a league match just one day later against Armstrong Atlantic State at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19.

Two more league matches on the road against Francis Marion (Friday, Sept. 25 – 7 p.m.) and UNC Pembroke (Saturday, Sept. 26 – 3 p.m.) will give way to USC Aiken’s final match of the month against South Atlantic Conference power Wingate at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

USC Aiken opens the third month of its 2009 regular season by playing host to five consecutive league home matches, beginning with a tilt against rival Augusta State at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1. The match against the Jaguars rekindles an old rivalry that has the Pacers owning a commanding 34-7 all-time series lead. USC Aiken took two of three from their rival last year, including a 3-2 victory in the quarterfinals of the 2008 Peach Belt Conference Tournament.

One day after hosting the Jaguars, USC Aiken will host Lander at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2.

USC Aiken will have six days off before playing host to another new conference rival in the Montevallo Falcons at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8. Eight days later the Pacers will close out the season-high five-match homestand by hosting in-state and PBC rival Francis Marion at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16 and UNC Pembroke at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17.

The match against the Braves on Oct. 17 will be USC Aiken’s final home match of October with the Pacers drawing the curtains on the month and entering the month of November by playing nine matches away from the Convocation Center. The Pacers will have three dates where they play two matches in the same day during the stretch, beginning with a trip to Atlanta to face off against defending NCAA Division III champion Emory and NAIA institution Lee at Emory. The Pacers will first play Lee at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22 before taking on Emory at 6 p.m.

On Saturday, Oct. 24, USC Aiken will square off against Limestone (3 p.m.) and Lees-McRae (5 p.m.) at Lander in Greenwood, S.C. After three more league road matches, USC Aiken will end its tough road stretch by ending their conference campaign against Montevallo at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. USC Aiken will then take on non-conference opponent Miles at 7 p.m. in Montevallo, Ala.

USC Aiken will close out the 2009 regular season with a 7 p.m. match against the SAC’s Newberry at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The match will serve as senior day for the Pacer volleyball program.