Niagara University, N.Y.—Niagara volleyball announced its full schedule for 2023 which features eight non-conference matches and 18 MAAC contests.
The Purple Eagles open the season with six matches away from Gallagher Center starting with three matches in the Delaware Invitational as they will play three matches starting on Aug. 26 against Loyola (MD). Later in the day the Purple Eagles will take on the host Delaware before closing out the weekend against Robert Morris on Aug. 27.
Niagara opens September with a trip to Bucknell as they will play three matches in the Bucknell Invite. On Sept. 1 the Purple Eagles will faceoff with Cornell, Niagara plays a pair of matches on Sept. 2 to close out the road non-conference slate. Niagara will face Princeton and William & Mary to close out the Bucknell Invite.
After six road matches, the Purple Eagles host Kent State in their home opener on Sept. 8 at 6:00 PM at the Gallagher Center. Niagara hosts Purdue Fort Wayne to close out the non-conference schedule on Sept. 9 at the Gallagher Center.
MAAC play opens for the Purple Eagles on Sept. 16 as they face Quinnipiac on the road. The next day Niagara visits Fairfield in a rematch of the MAAC Quarterfinals from a season ago.
On Sept. 23 and 24 the Purple Eagles host Iona and Manhattan for the first home MAAC weekend of the season. The Purple Eagles will be at home on Oct. 14-15, Oct. 21-22, before closing out the home schedule on Nov. 4-5.
The Purple Eagles write the latest chapter of the battle of the bridge rivalry against Canisius on Sept. 30 at Canisius before the rivalry moves to Gallagher Center on Oct. 1.
Last season the Purple Eagles went 7-11 in MAAC play while advancing to the MAAC Quarterfinals with a win over Saint Peter's. Laryssa Imbuzeiro, Bella Peroni, and Kinga Wronska are the top three returners in sets played last season. Imbuzeiro played in 100 sets while registering a team high 100.0 blocks. Peroni appeared in 87 sets as a sophomore and tallied 343 digs and led the team in digs per set at 3.94. Wronska made an impact as a freshman as she was named to the All-MAAC Rookie Team after notching team highs in kills (184) and digs (385).
Ren Cefra enters his second team as the head coach of the Purple Eagles.
The full schedule can be viewed here.
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