2019 Schedule

FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason women's volleyball head coach Aylene Ilkson has announced the 2019 schedule, headlined by the San Juan Puerto Rico Tournament and matchups with 2018 NCAA Tournament teams – Navy and Dayton. 
 
"There are so many different variables that go into scheduling; from a student-athlete experience stand point to getting us ready for conference play," said Ilkson. "I think this schedule gives us a great mix of that."
 
The 2019 slate gets off to an exciting start with a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Clásico (Aug. 29-Sept. 1). Teams and times for the four-day tournament are to be announced in the coming months.
 
In addition to San Juan Puerto Rico Tournament, another highlight of nonconference play will be a midweek home match against the reigning Patriot League Champion and NCAA Tournament team Navy on Sept. 10. 
 
The nonconference slate also features an away tournament at UMBC with Delaware and Saint Francis (Sept. 6-7), an away tournament at Maryland with Princeton and Arkansas (Sept. 13-14) and the annual George Mason Invitational (Sept. 20-21). Mason will welcome William & Mary, Seton Hall and Wake Forest for the six-match, two-day tournament.
 
"We get to play a lot of great teams this preseason," Ilkson said. "For our very young squad, it will be a chance to see where we are and the possibilities that we can achieve great things this season."
 
In Atlantic 10 action, Mason will play home-and-home series with George Washington, La Salle, Duquesne, Saint Louis and Dayton. The Patriots welcome 2018 NCAA Tournament team Dayton on Oct. 11 to the RAC, followed by a road match with the Flyers on Oct. 27.
 
The away portion of the schedule also features matches against A-10 regular season champions VCU (Nov. 1) and Davidson (Nov. 3). 
 
The conference slate will conclude with home matches against Rhode Island (Nov. 15) and Fordham for Senior Night (Nov. 16). The A-10 Championships will be held at Rhode Island from Nov. 22-24.
 
Mason returns all of their top three offensive performers from a 2018 team that went 8-6 in Atlantic 10 play and made the A-10 Tournament for the first time in program history. Rising senior Bailey Williams, a 2018 Second Team All-Conference honoree, led the team in kills per set (2.86) last season and has totaled 721 kills in her career. 
 
The Patriots will also look to its strong rising sophomore class for production in 2019, including 2018 A-10 All-Rookie selections Peyton Ehmke and ShaLi Niu. Ehmke finished her freshman campaign first on the team in blocks per set (1.03) and third in kills per set (2.25). Niu, who was named VaSID Rookie of the Year, was second on the team in kills per set (2.54) and third in digs per set (1.96). In addition, the Patriots will showcase seven incoming freshmen to complete its 2019 roster.