A new conference, three new foes, and seven home matches punctuate Morehead State beach volleyball's slate as the program and head coach Kyrsten Becker announce the team's 2020 spring schedule.
The Eagles enter the spring transition to the Ohio Valley Conference-who added beach volleyball as a sponsored sport in July-after spending a season as an affiliate member of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
The program's new conference affiliation brings with it a wealth of tradition and rivalry that sees 12 matches against traditional OVC foes Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, and UT Martin along with affiliate member and newcomer Chattanooga.
Morehead State's 12-match OVC slate features five home matches as the Eagles host Eastern Kentucky (March 24 and April 7) for four matches and Jacksonville State (April 5) for a lone meeting.
The team's seven other conference matchups take place during two of the team's three slated tournament weekends. The Eagles face Austin Peay, Chattanooga, and UT Martin at the Skyhawk Beach Bash (March 28-29; Martin, Tenn.) before facing the trio and Jacksonville State one additional time each at the OVC Weekend at South Beach (April 17-18; Anniston, Ala.).
OVC play culminates with the inaugural, six-team Ohio Valley Conference Beach Volleyball Championships on April 23-25. The event hosted at the Skyhawk Beach Volleyball Complex by UT Martin features a 10-match, double-elimination format that takes place over the event's three-day duration.
Outside of conference play, Morehead State's schedule features seven non-conference matchups to complete the 19-match slate.
The Eagles open the season at the Principia College (Ill.) Beach Bash for the second-consecutive season, competing in the event for the third time overall. The two-day event takes place in Fort Wayne, Ind. on Feb. 28-29 and features four overall matches.
Morehead State opens the event facing host Principia and familiar foe Stevenson (Md.) on Feb. 28 before facing two new foes, Bryant & Stratton College (Wis.) and Park University (Mo.) on Feb. 29.
Non-conference play continues with a two-match dual with former ASUN North Division foe North Alabama on March 11-both matches held at Fazoli's Breadstick Beach-before concluding with a second meeting with Park University at the Skyhawk Beach Invitational on March 29.
