Howle Announces 2018 Volleyball Schedule

 
SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist volleyball head coach Anna Howle announced the schedule for the 2018 season on Wednesday morning.
 
The Lady Bison finished third in the Great American Conference last season with an 11-5 record in league play and reached the GAC semifinals in their first year of NCAA Division II postseason eligibility. Overall, OBU finished with an 18-15 record.
 
With 2018 representing a Division II Fall Championship Festival year, Oklahoma Baptist will start the season earlier this year. The Lady Bison will report for their first practice on Monday, Aug. 6.
 

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Oklahoma Baptist opens the season traveling to Stephenville, Texas, for the Tarleton State Invitational on Aug. 24-25.The Lady Bison will start the season with a 10 a.m. meeting with Midwestern State before turning around and facing Newman at 3 p.m. on the same day. On Aug. 25, the Lady Bison take on Tarleton State at 11:30 a.m. and conclude the Invitational against Texas A&M-Commerce at 4:30 p.m.
 
Following the TSU Invitational, OBU opens their home slate inside the Noble Complex with 7 p.m. tilt against Central Oklahoma.
 
The Lady Bison then make their annual Labor Day Weekend trip to Florida as they compete in the Embry-Riddle Labor Day Tournament. On Aug. 31, OBU will take on Bentley and Eckerd at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. (Eastern), respectively. Oklahoma Baptist closes out the tournament on Sept. 1 against Florida Tech and Embry-Riddle.
 
Returning from Florida, OBU kicks off a five-match home stretch, their longest of the season, beginning with the squad's GAC opener against Northwestern Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 4 at the Noble Complex. The Lady Bison then play host to the GAC/MIAA Crossover the following weekend, Sept. 7-8. Oklahoma Baptist will take on Missouri Southern State and Emporia State on the first day of competition before wrapping up the tournament portion of their schedule against Pittsburg State and Southwest Baptist on Sept. 8.
 
Road conference action awaits OBU after the Crossover as the Lady Bison visit Southeastern Oklahoma State on Sept. 11. After their trip to Durant, rivalry action takes the Noble Complex as OBU hosts Southern Nazarene on Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.
 
The weekend after the Lady Bison's showdown with SNU sees OBU in Denton, Texas for a triangular against Dallas Baptist and Texas Woman's on Sept. 15. The triangular will feature the final two non-conference contests on OBU's schedule for the year.
 
Oklahoma Baptist heads to Ada, Oklahoma, to take on East Central on Sept. 18 as GAC play resumes before turning around and hosting Southwestern Oklahoma State on Sept. 20. The next weekend, OBU heads to Arkadelphia, Arkansas, for matches against Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist on Sept. 28 and 29.
 
The first weekend of October sees OBU play host to Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas on Oct. 5 and 6. The Lady Bison then head back on the road to conclude the Arkansas portion of their GAC slate with contests. Oklahoma Baptist first takes on reigning GAC champion Arkansas Tech on Oct. 12 before turning around and taking on the GAC runners-up in Harding on Oct. 13.
 
With the Arkansas travel complete, the Lady Bison entered the second round of their double round-robin against Oklahoma-based GAC schools. First, OBU hosts ECU on Oct. 18, then heads out to Weatherford to square off with SWOSU on Oct. 20.
 
Oklahoma Baptist then visits Alva to take on Northwestern on Oct. 25. Senior Day is slated for Oct. 30 when the Lady Bison welcomes SOSU to the Noble Complex. The regular season wraps up Nov. 1 against SNU.
 
A top-eight finish in the regular season GAC standings will see OBU through to the GAC Tournament in Bentonville, Arkansas. The GAC quarterfinals are scheduled to begin on Nov. 7, with the GAC champion being crowned on Nov. 10.