April 3, 2008

ATHENS, Ohio - The five-time defending Mid-American Conference Champion Ohio volleyball team begins its spring schedule this weekend at the Convocation Center. The Bobcats will play host to Marshall, Wheeling Jesuit and Wittenberg in a tournament on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. Ohio Head Coach Ryan Theis will get his first look at the Bobcats in action and the event is open to the public and fans are encouraged to attend.

Theis and the team just began spring practice earlier this week, but so far he is encouraged by what he has seen. "They are a very talented group and I think they work very hard, so we're looking forward to getting into it," said Theis. "We have a long ways to go though; they've been without a coach for awhile."

Following this weekend's tournament, the Bobcats will travel to Dayton, Ohio for a tri-match with Dayton and Louisville, two top-25 teams and NCAA Tournament participants from a year ago. The spring schedule also includes the 2008 Great Lakes College Invitational, hosted by the Great Lakes Center in Aurora, Ill. (April 19), which will feature over 20 schools from around the country, including North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, rival Miami (OH), and last year's first round NCAA Tournament opponent Purdue. The Bobcats wrap up their spring schedule at the 12-team University of Cincinnati Tournament on April 26.

"We are not really looking at any one opponent this weekend, we are really just looking at us," explained Theis. "Two or three weeks into the spring we might start gearing up and focusing more on a little bit of a game plan, but for the most part we are really just going to be focusing on our needs."

Ohio Volleyball Spring Schedule
April 5 - Ohio Spring Tournament (with Marshall, Wheeling Jesuit, Wittenberg)
April 12 - Tri-match with Dayton and Louisville (Dayton, Ohio, at the Frericks Center)
April 19 - 2008 Great Lakes College Invitational (Aurora, Ill., at the Great Lakes Center)
April 26 - Cincinnati Tournament (Cincinnati, Ohio)