COMMERCE – Texas A&M University-Commerce has released the full 2024 volleyball schedule, as announced by coach Joe Morales on Wednesday.
 
The 2024 schedule features 11 home matches on the Hunt Regional Healthcare Court in the Field House, including the four-team Lion Invitational, on August 30-31 to start the season. The 11-match home slate marks the most for the Lions in the Division I era.
 
Morales said, "we are excited about the schedule, our non-conference schedule will definitely test us early but our team is ready and excited about the challenges. We would not have it any other way."
 
"This is just a glimpse of what direction we want to take this program moving forward. Our administration and university are behind us and even though there will be some bumps along the way, we cannot wait to hit the ground running this fall."
 
The Lions play four Power Four conference teams this season as well as four teams that played in the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
 
Prior to beginning the season, the Lions host the annual Blue and Gold Scrimmage on August 22 at 6:30 p.m. as well as hosting an exhibition match against Southwestern Oklahoma State on August 27, admission for both matches is free.
 
The four teams in the Lion Invitational are A&M-Commerce, Little Rock, Central Arkansas, and Tarleton. It is the first time that the Lions are playing at home to begin a full season since 2011. A&M-Commerce began the COVID-19-shortened Spring 2021 season at home.
 
The Lion Invitational is the first regular season tournament hosted by A&M-Commerce since 2014.
 
A&M-Commerce begins the Lion Invitational on August 30 against Little Rock and Central Arkansas at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. The Lions renew the rivalry with Tarleton on August 31 at 3 p.m., it is the first meeting in Commerce for the two teams since 2018 and it is the 17^th meeting all-time between the two rivals in Commerce and 47^th overall.
 
The full schedule of the Lion Invitational can be found HERE.
 
The next weekend, the Lions head to East Carolina for the Pirate Invitational in Greenville, North Carolina. A&M-Commerce plays Western Carolina on September 6 at 11 a.m. and the hosts, East Carolina, at 7 p.m. The final match of the weekend comes on September 7 at 11 a.m. against North Carolina A&T. It is the first time that the Lions are playing all three teams.
 
The Lions return to Texas for Fight in the Fort at TCU. The Lions play the hosts, Horned Frogs, on September 12 at 1 p.m. and UCLA later in the day at 4 p.m.
 
TCU played in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, advancing to the second round, while UCLA has won seven National Championships. It is the first meeting against both teams.
 
A&M-Commerce closes out the Fight in the Fort on September 13 against Prairie View A&M at 1 p.m., marking the third consecutive season that the two teams are playing each other.
 
The final set of non-conference matches come in Houston On September 19-21, hosted by Houston. A&M-Commerce plays the Cougars on September 19 at 7 p.m., the Cougars also advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year.
 
The Lions then face Tennessee State on September 20 at 3 p.m. and close out the week against Ole Miss on September 21 at 2 p.m. All three opponents are first-time meetings for A&M-Commerce.
 
The meeting against Ole Miss is the second meeting all-time for the Lions against a SEC opponent as A&M-Commerce downed Alabama in five sets last year at UAB.

The 16-match Southland Conference schedule was released last month and remains unchanged.
 
"With the conference getting stronger, the early competition will help us navigate through some tough terrain and hopefully prepare us for an exciting SLC schedule," said Morales. "The coaches in our conference are doing a great job to help minimizing travel for our student-athletes."

"This is a team effort and Lion fans, you are a part of that. See you soon in the Field House!"
 
The Lions begin the conference slate on the road at Northwestern State on September 24, followed by home matches against UIW and McNeese on September 26 and 28, respectively.
 
The month of October will start with four straight matches on the road: Lamar on October 3, Stephen F. Austin on October 5, A&M-Corpus Christi on October 10, and UTRGV on October 14. The Ladyjacks also played in the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
 
The Islanders and the Vaqueros make the return trip to Commerce on October 17 and 19, respectively. The Lions continue the home stand against Houston Christian on October 26.
 
After a quick road trip to Nicholls on November 2, the Lions are back home to face Northwestern State on November 5, before heading south to Houston Christian and UIW on November 7 and 9, respectively, for the final two road regular season matches.
 
The regular season concludes with a home match against defending SLC champion and NCAA Tournament participant Southeastern on November 14 and Senior Day on November 16.
 
Information on season tickets as well as single-match tickets for the 2024 season will be released in the coming days.
 
2024 LION VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

Date	Opponent	Site	Time
AUG. 22	BLUE & GOLD SCRIMMAGE	COMMERCE	6:30 P.M.
AUG. 27	SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATEEXH	COMMERCE	5:30 P.M.
AUG. 30	LITTLE ROCK1	COMMERCE	1 P.M.
AUG. 30	CENTRAL ARKANSAS1	COMMERCE	7 P.M.
AUG. 31	TARLETON1	COMMERCE	3 P.M.
Sept. 6	vs. Western Carolina2	Greenville, N.C.	11 a.m.
Sept. 6	at East Carolina2	Greenville, N.C.	7 p.m.
Sept. 7	vs. North Carolina A&T2	Greenville, N.C.	11 a.m.
Sept. 12	at TCU3	Fort Worth	1 p.m.
Sept. 12	vs. UCLA3	Fort Worth	4 p.m.
Sept. 13	vs. Prairie View A&M3	Fort Worth	1 p.m.
Sept. 19	at Houston	Houston	7 p.m.
Sept. 20	vs. Tennessee State	Houston	3 p.m.
Sept. 21	vs. Ole Miss	Houston	2 p.m.
Sept. 24	at Northwestern StateSLC	Natchitoches, La.	6:30 p.m.
SEPT. 26	UIWSLC	COMMERCE	6:30 P.M.
SEPT. 28	MCNEESESLC	COMMERCE	1 P.M.
Oct. 3	at LamarSLC	Beaumont	6:30 p.m.
Oct. 5	at Stephen F. AustinSLC	Nacogdoches	Noon
Oct. 10	at A&M-Corpus ChristiSLC	Corpus Christi	6:30 p.m.
Oct. 14	at UTRGVSLC	Edinburg	2 p.m.
OCT. 17	A&M-CORPUS CHRISTISLC	COMMERCE	6:30 P.M.
OCT. 19	UTRGVSLC	COMMERCE	11 A.M.
OCT. 26	HOUSTON CHRISTIANSLC	COMMERCE	1 P.M.
Nov. 2	at NichollsSLC	Thibodaux, La.	11 a.m.
NOV. 5	NORTHWESTERN STATESLC	COMMERCE	6:30 P.M.
Nov. 7	at Houston ChristianSLC	Houston	6:30 p.m.
Nov. 9	at UIWSLC	San Antonio	Noon
NOV. 14	SOUTHEASTERNSLC	COMMERCE	6:30 P.M.
NOV. 16	NEW ORLEANSSLC	COMMERCE	10:30 A.M.
Nov. 21-24	at SLC Tournament	Hammond, La.	TBA

                 
¹ – Lion Invitational
² – Pirate Invitational
³ – Fight in the Fort
^SLC – Southland Conference Match