HONOLULU – If there can be a theme for the Chaminade University women's volleyball team's 2024 schedule, it should be "No Days Off."
In addition to the challenging Pacific West Conference schedule, the Silverswords will face one of their most daunting non-conference slates in program history.
The 'Swords, who ended the 2023 season ranked 13th in the final AVCA Top 25 Poll, will face eight non-conference opponents who qualified for last year's NCAA Division II Tournament, seven of whom were ranked. In addition to Cal State San Bernardino's Yotes Classic, they will make their first appearance in the prestigious Colorado Premier Challenge.
Called the top volleyball tournament in Division II, the Colorado Premier Challenge annually brings in the nation's top squads to Denver. This year is no exception with all 12 teams playing in last year's NCAA Tournament – three of which advanced to the D-II volleyball elite eight – and 10 in the final AVCA rankings, five in the top 10.
Chaminade, designated to Pool 1, will open on Sept. 13 against Wayne State of Nebraska, one of the elite eight participants, and ranked No. 4 in the final AVCA poll. Later in the afternoon, the 'Swords will face Wheeling University from West Virginia, which went 25-8 last year.
Bracket play is the next day on Sept. 14 with the Silverswords facing a Pool 4 team; Central Missouri (ranked No. 14 in the final poll), host MSU Denver (No. 7) or Dallas Baptist (receiving votes). Medal play will be later in the day.
The Yotes Classic, which will be a week earlier, will be no slouch either. All four opponents were ranked and were NCAA Tournament participants including defending D-II national champion Cal State Los Angeles. The Classic also features host CSU San Bernardino, Cal Poly Pomona and St. Cloud State from Minnesota.
The 'Swords will make their 2024 debut against Brock University from Ontario, Canada at McCabe Gymnasium in an Aug. 27 exhibition. Chaminade's regular season opener is Aug. 29 in the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge at McCabe Gym against the University of Alaska and Alaska Anchorage. The University of Hawai'i Hilo and Hawai'i Pacific will also be a part of the competition. Although the Challenge has been ongoing for the past three years, this year's tournament is in the first of a new four-year agreement between the Hawai'i and Alaska schools.
With the addition of Jessup, Menlo and Vanguard increasing PacWest membership to 14, the conference schedule will be unbalanced with seven home-and-home arrangements. The 'Swords will face defending PacWest champion Point Loma in a single meeting on Nov. 15 in San Diego. Vanguard, which advanced to the NAIA national semifinals a year ago, comes to Honolulu on Oct. 25 in the only meeting of the season.
The 'Swords will also face island rivals UH Hilo and HPU in their traditional home-and-home series.
Chaminade opens PacWest action on Sept. 19 at home against Menlo.
