Dec. 17, 2014

2015 Schedule (PDF) | 2015 Schedule

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina sand volleyball program released its 2015 schedule on Wednesday, which features three home events at the Carolina Sand Volleyball Complex.

The schedule will be challenging, as the Gamecocks will face three teams that played in the AVCA Sand Volleyball National Championships last season, including defending national champion Pepperdine and national runner-up Florida State.

“We are excited about our upcoming season and have scheduled a very challenging mix of teams,” head coach Moritz Moritz said. “At this point, there are no weak teams competing in beach volleyball. Everyone is good, but the emphasis for our young program is how we continue to develop and improve. I believe that with this schedule we will be tested every single time we step on the sand. That is one of the key components for the learning process and for our growth as a team and as a program.”

After going 5-12 in the program’s first season in 2014, the Gamecocks will host the Carolina Classic on March 7-8 at the Carolina Sand Volleyball Complex to open their 2015 slate. Carolina will face Jacksonville, Georgia State, ULM and Mercer during the weekend.

Carolina hits the road for the first time on March 10 for a dual at UAB in Birmingham, Ala., and will remain on the road March 11 for the Georgia State Diggin’ Duals in Atlanta, Ga., where it will face Georgia State, New Orleans and Mercer. The Gamecocks will then travel to the North Florida Sand Invitational, which will be held March 14-15 at the St. Augustine Pier Sand Volleyball Courts in St. Augustine, Fla. Carolina will compete against North Florida, LSU, College of Charleston and Florida Atlantic at the event.

The Gamecocks return home on March 20-22 for the Gamecock Invitational and will face Arizona State, Florida State, Tulane and UAB in duals. The Seminoles finished runner-up in the AVCA Sand National Championships last season.

Defending national champion Pepperdine and FIU, an AVCA Sand National Championship participant a year ago, will travel to Columbia for Carolina’s final home event, the Palmetto Invitational, on March 28-29. Along with playing duals, pairs from each team will play in a pairs tournament on March 29.

Carolina will head to the Fiesta on Siesta Key pairs tournament on April 11-12 in Siesta Key, Fla., before wrapping up the season on April 18-19 at LSU’s Battle on the Bayou at Mango’s Beach Volleyball Club in Baton Rouge, La. The Gamecocks will compete against LSU, Tulane, ULM, New Orleans and Spring Hill at the event.

The 2015 AVCA Sand Volleyball National Championships will be held May 2-4 in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Select home duals will be streamed live on SEC Network+ through participating providers this season.