May 29, 2004

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke volleyball head coach Jolene Nagel released the 2004 volleyball schedule Thursday which features five matches against teams that advanced to the 2003 NCAA Tournament and five more matches against teams that won at least 20 games in 2003.

In 11 pre-conference matches that includes three tournaments, Duke's opponents recorded an impressive 186-126 record in 2003. Four of those teams recorded 25 or more wins (College of Charleston, 28; Georgia State, 27; Loyola Marymount, 26; and Towson, 25).

Duke opens the season at the Loyola Marymount Classic and will play Loyola Marymount, Tennessee and Villanova on Sept. 3-4. Duke will then travel to Campbell on Sept. 7 before its season opener with the Duke Invitational on Sept. 10-11, where Duke will host South Carolina, Towson and Northern Illinois.

Duke then hosts Elon on Sept. 14 before heading to the College of Charleston Invitational on Sept. 17-18, where they will face Charleston, Georgia State and East Carolina.

In the expanced Atlantic Coast Conference, all teams will continue to play a 16-game conference schedule. Duke will face Clemson (Oct. 8 and Nov. 6), Georgia Tech (Oct. 9 and Nov. 5), Maryland (Sept. 24 and Oct. 23), Virginia (Sept. 26 and Oct. 22), Virginia Tech (Oct. 17 and Nov. 12) and Wake Forest (Oct. 12 and Nov. 9) all twice and Florida State (Oct. 1), Miami (Oct. 3), North Carolina (Sept. 21) and North Carolina State (Oct. 30) all once in conference play. Duke will also play North Carolina Oct. 29 in a non-conference match. The ACC Tournament will take place in Charlottesville, Va., Nov. 17-21.