The University of Memphis volleyball team will open its 2002 season with a new look and tougher schedule.
This year's team will feature six new freshmen as well as new assistant coach Steve Sykes, who joins Memphis after spending the last four years as volleyball head coach at Southern Mississippi.
The Tigers open the season Aug. 30 in the Georgia Southern Invitational in Statesboro,Ga., where they will face defending Atlantic Sun champion Georgia State and two-time Sun Belt champion Western Kentucky. Memphis will also match up against Charleston Southern and Georgia Southern in the tournament.
Memphis faces Christian Brothers in its home-opener at the Elma Roane Field House Sept. 3 and will host a five-team tournament the following weekend.
The Tigers will also compete in tournaments in Connecticut and Massachusetts before opening Conference USA play at home against Saint Louis Oct. 5.
Memphis finished last season with a 22-8 mark, its highest win total since 1994. After knocking off Tulane in the opening round of the C-USA Tournament, the Tigers ended their season with a loss to regular-season champion Cincinnati in the second round.
