GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team will play 10 South Atlantic Conference matches in the shortened spring 2021 season, spanning from the end of February to the middle of April, with the top teams advancing to a postseason tournament.
TU head coach Danielle Marante looks to build upon the success of year one after leading the Pioneers to their first winning season (15-14) since 2014. She welcomes 10 freshmen to the program as complement to eight returners from last year's squad.
"We feel very fortunate to be able to compete this spring," said Marante. "Each opportunity we had in the gym together this fall was used to not only improve as a team, but individually as well. Many teams had to juggle the different challenges this year has brought. Our team, specifically, navigated through the ever-changing schedules and protocols each week. They are more than ready to get back on the court, and I know they will be focused and prepared to compete at the highest level this spring."
The conference-only campaign will open up on Feb. 25 at Lenoir-Rhyne. Tusculum swept the two meetings in 2019, relenting just two sets to the Bears. The Pioneers hold the advantage in the all-time series, 29-21. LR finished seventh in the league standings after going 16-15 overall and an even 11-11 in SAC play.
Lincoln Memorial comes to Greeneville as the Pioneers' home-opener on Mar. 9. The Harrogate team extended its series lead to 36-26 via a season sweep of Tusculum in 2019. LMU claimed the last spot in the SAC tournament by clinching eighth with a record of 10-12 in conference action and 11-19 on the year.
Tusculum will once again return to North Carolina on Mar. 12 for a matchup with the Catawba Indians. The Pioneers won both meetings in the previous season, narrowing the all-time margin to 25-21. With a SAC mark of 5-17, the Indians finished tied for ninth in the league and went 2-2 in non-conference action.
After a week off, the Marante-led squad hosts UVA Wise in Pioneer Arena to begin a four-match homestand. The Cavaliers were winless during their first season in the SAC, going 1-26 overall. The Pioneers have a mere one blemish in 27 previous matches against UVA Wise, which came in 1997 when the Virginia institution was still named Clinch Valley. Those three frames are the lone sets lost by Tusculum in the entire series history. The setback happened in Virginia, thus the Pioneers have a perfect record against the Cavaliers on their home court.
Tusculum and Carson-Newman will go toe-to-talon on Mar. 23 as part of a three-match week in Greeneville. On their way to conference tournament and regional titles, the Eagles took both matches over the Pioneers. They finished the season fourth in SAC standings at 16-6 and 28-8 overall, upsetting the top-seed Wingate in the conference tournament semifinals. In true rivalrous fashion, the teams are squared at 30 since the first meeting back in 1986.
On Mar. 26, Coker makes the long trek to Pioneer Country and will look to avenge a pair of sweeps in 2019. The Cobras landed 11th in the league standings with a 4-18 mark as a part of a 7-20 season record. Tusculum holds the 11-4 advantage over the South Carolina team in previous meetings.
Less than 24 hours later, Wingate enters Pioneer Arena. Tusculum claimed one set over the Bulldogs in mid-October, but were blanked in the second meeting. Wingate has won 13 of the last 14 SAC regular season titles and 11 tournament championships in the same span. They have earned a berth in the NCAA tournament for 15 consecutive seasons and hosted the regionals eight times in 12 years. The Bulldogs have a commanding lead in the series against the Pioneers, 46-6.
The Black and Orange will go on the road for the final three matches of the regular season, starting with Mars Hill on Mar. 30. The Lions took both matches over Tusculum the previous season, however the Pioneers have still dominated the 30-plus year series, 37-21. Mars Hill tied the Black and Orange for fifth in the SAC rankings with an identical 12-10 mark, but finished 15-15 overall.
Apr. 2 will feature Tusculum venturing to Limestone for the first time since 2009. The teams met once in 2019 at a neutral site and earned Marante's first victory as a head coach. All-time, the Pioneers are 7-1 against the Saints, with the lone loss occurring in 2005 in Gaffney. This season marks Limestone's first in the SAC.
The Pioneers wrap up the regular season on Apr. 3 versus Queens. The Tusculum series lead over the Royals remains at one (9-8) after the home team won each match in 2019. Queens finished the year 24-7 overall and 19-3 in conference action, claiming the second seed in the tournament. They advanced to the SAC finals, but were swept by eventual region champion Carson-Newman.
For the 2020-21 season, the top four teams will advance to the two-day South Atlantic Conference Tournament. The semifinal and championship rounds will be held from Apr. 6-7 at the new Rock Hill Sports and Event Center in South Carolina.
Information regarding the reschedulement of the NCAA Division II Tournament has not been determined at this time.
This spring season will not interfere with student-athlete eligibility, as the NCAA issued a blanket waiver allowing all 2020 fall sports student-athletes to retain their year of eligibility, regardless of the number of contests competed in during the 2020-21 season.
