FARGO, N.D. – Eleven home matches at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse and five NCAA tournament teams highlight the North Dakota State University volleyball 2019 schedule announced today by NDSU head coach Jennifer Lopez. Season tickets will go on sale on June 1 at GoBison.com. Single-match tickets will be available August 1.
 
Five teams on the schedule advanced to the NCAA tournament last season including Tennessee, East Tennessee, Green Bay, South Dakota and Denver.
 
North Dakota State opens the season with a pair of tournaments at Mid-America Conference sites – the University of Toledo Blue and Gold Tournament on Aug .30-31 and the Central Michigan University Tournament on Sept. 6-7.
 
The Bison return home on Sept. 13-14 with the NDSU Classic in the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. North Dakota State hosts Pac-12 Conference member Cal at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, and then entertains Buffalo at 10 a.m. and Green Bay at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14.
 
The NDSU Classic kicks off an 11-match home schedule. The Bison host a four-match Summit League homestand with Purdue Fort Wayne (Friday, Oct. 4), Western Illinois (Sunday, Oct. 6), South Dakota (Friday, Oct. 11) and Denver (Sunday, Oct. 13). NDSU closes out October with South Dakota State (Friday, Oct. 25) and Omaha (Sunday, Oct. 27), and finishes the regular season in the BBF with North Dakota (Tuesday, Nov. 12) and Oral Roberts (Sunday, Nov. 17).
 
North Dakota State begins the Summit League schedule on Sept. 27 and Sept. 29 at South Dakota State and Omaha.
 
Five new opponents are on the schedule including Eastern Illinois of the Ohio Valley Conference, East Tennessee of the Southern Conference, Loyola-Chicago of the Missouri Valley Conference, Tennessee of the SEC and Toledo of the Mid-American Conference.
 
North Dakota State finished the 2018 season with a 9-20 record including 6-10 in the Summit League. The Bison reached the Summit League tournament semifinals for the ninth time in 11 trips and became the first No. 6-seed to advance since the league went to six teams in 2013.
 
NDSU returns all but one starter and 10 returning players including Summit League all-tournament pick libero/defensive specialist Abbi Klos and all-freshman team selection setter Kalli Hegerle.
 
2019 NORTH DAKOTA STATE VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE
Date                 Opponent                                 Location                                   Time
# Toledo Blue and Gold Tournament                                                                                                      
Fri., Aug. 30      at Toledo                                  Toledo, Ohio                             7 p.m. ET
Sat., Aug. 31     vs. Loyola-Chicago                    Toledo, Ohio                             10:30 a.m. ET
Sat., Aug. 31     vs. Western Kentucky                Toledo, Ohio                             4:30 p.m. ET    
% Central Michigan Tournament
Fri., Sept. 6       vs. Illinois-Chicago                    Mount Pleasant, Mich.               10 a.m. ET
Fri., Sept. 6       at Central Michigan                   Mount Pleasant, Mich.               7:30 p.m. ET
Sat., Sept. 7      vs. Eastern Illinois                     Mount Pleasant, Mich.               1 p.m. ET                     
& NDSU CLASSIC
Fri., Sept. 13    CAL                                          FARGO                                     7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 14    BUFFALO                                 FARGO                                     10 a.m.
Sat., Sept. 14    GREEN BAY                             FARGO                                     5 p.m.             
# Tennessee Tournament
Fri., Sept. 20     vs. Georgia Southern                 Knoxville, Tenn.                         3:30 p.m. ET
Sat., Sept. 21    vs. East Tennessee                    Knoxville, Tenn.                         10 a.m. ET
Sat., Sept. 21    at Tennessee                             Knoxville, Tenn.                         7 p.m. ET                     
           
Fri., Sept. 27     * at South Dakota State             Brookings, S.D.                         7 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 29   * at Omaha                                Omaha, Neb.                            1 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 4        * PURDUE FORT WAYNE         FARGO                                     7 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 6      * WESTERN ILLINOIS              FARGO                                     1 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 11      * SOUTH DAKOTA                    FARGO                                     7 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 13    * DENVER                                FARGO                                     1 p.m.
Tues., Oct. 15   * at North Dakota                      Grand Forks, N.D.                     7 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 20     * at Oral Roberts                       Tulsa, Okla.                              1 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 25      * SOUTH DAKOTA STATE       FARGO                                     7 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 27    * OMAHA                                  FARGO                                     1 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 1        * at Purdue Fort Wayne              Fort Wayne, Ind.                        7 p.m. ET
Sun., Nov. 3      * at Western Illinois                    Macomb, Ill.                              1 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 8        * at South Dakota                      Vermillion, S.D.                         7 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 10    * at Denver                                Denver, Colo.                            1 p.m. MT
Tues., Nov. 12  * NORTH DAKOTA                    FARGO                                     7 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 17    * ORAL ROBERTS                    FARGO                                     1 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 22      **at Summit League Tournament (Denver, Colo.)                        TBA MT
Sat., Nov. 23     **at Summit League Tournament (Denver, Colo.)                        TBA MT
Sun., Nov. 24    **at Summit League Tournament (Denver Colo.)                         TBA MT
 
Home matches in BOLD at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse
All times are local
*--Summit League Matches; #--Toledo Blue and Gold Tournament (Toledo, Ohio); %--Central Michigan Tournament (Mount Pleasant, Mich.); &--NDSU CLASSIC (FARGO); #--Tennessee Tournament (Knoxville, Tenn.); **--Summit League Tournament (Denver, Colo.)