TicketsJuly 14, 2010
CINCINNATI - For the second time in three seasons, the University of Cincinnati volleyball team will host a nationally televised match in Fifth Third Arena when Cincinnati and the University of Notre Dame meet on Sunday, Oct. 10, at 5 p.m. on ESPNU.
The meeting pits the last two BIG EAST Conference regular-season champions as Notre Dame took home the regular-season crown last season with a 14-0 league mark, finishing two games ahead of UC. In 2009, the Bearcats earned a share of the conference title with St. John's posting a league mark of 12-2.
"This is a great opportunity for our program and University to play in front of a national audience against a quality opponent such as Notre Dame," said head coach Reed Sunahara.
The last time Notre Dame and Cincinnati squared off in Fifth Third Arena, the Bearcats defeated the Irish, 3-1 (25-18, 25-22, 17-25, 25-22), in front of nearly 1,000 fans on Oct. 5, 2008, also an ESPNU telecast. That match marked the first time in program history that UC hosted a nationally televised contest on its home floor.
Cincinnati welcomes back 10 letterwinners from its 2009 squad, which posted 25-plus wins for the second consecutive season, advanced to the BIG EAST Conference championship match for the first time since joining the league, and participated in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and the sixth time in the past 10 years.
First-team all-BIG EAST selection and 2009 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) honorable-mention all-America selection Stephanie Niemer headlines the group of returners along with fellow first-team all-conference selection, senior Annie Fesl, and AVCA honorable-mention all-region and second-team all-conference selection sophomore Missy Harpenau.