As sports teams across the country prepare for uncertainty in the fall season, Colorado State University’s volleyball team stares adversity in the eyes as they prepare for a challenging fall schedule.
As CSU volleyball joins other athletic teams in their return to campus, the University has implemented mandatory health guidelines to ensure return to play is done as safely as possible in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All athletes will be tested for COVID-19 as part of their return-to-participation physical along with daily symptom assessments prior to each workout in order to continuously monitor each player’s well-being.
The Rams are coming off of a 29-2 season, their third consecutive Mountain West championship and their 25th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. This season, they look to test themselves against some of the nation’s best.
“Continuing their fight against highly touted opponents, CSU will travel to Waco, Texas, to compete in a tournament hosted by 2019 NCAA Final Four participant, Baylor University.”
CSU begins their season at Moby Arena, hosting volleyball powerhouse University of Southern California Aug. 28 followed by a second home game the next evening against Ole Miss. The following weekend, the Rams will travel to Greeley, Colorado, to play the University of Northern Colorado Bears Sept. 1.
Continuing their fight against highly touted opponents, CSU will travel to Waco, Texas, to compete in a tournament hosted by 2019 NCAA Final Four participant, Baylor University. This tournament will also be including games against Pepperdine and North Texas. The Rams will then see Boston College and Oregon State come to Moby on Sept. 10-11.
CSU will look to continue their winning trend over the University of Colorado Buffaloes in the second annual Golden Spike Trophy’s home and home matchup against the in-state rivals. CSU was 2-0 against CU last year.
Although the Rams will have 13 home games this season, they will start conference play on the road against the University of New Mexico Lobos and the San Diego State University Aztecs. CSU’s home opener for Mountain West Conference play will see them take on Boise State University with Utah State University coming to Fort Collins for homecoming weekend.
The next weekend the Rams will start their first of six consecutive Mountain West matchups against Fresno State as part of this year’s altered schedule to help programs cut down on cost and travel.
This new altered schedule sees the Rams play six of their last eight games away as they play at San Jose State over Oct. 16-17 and at Wyoming two weeks later.
CSU will close out conference matchups with three consecutive weekends of play, starting with University of Nevada, Las Vegas at home on Nov. 5 and Nov. 7 before traveling to Nevada to take on the Reno Wolf Pack the following weekend.
Fort Collins will see conference rival, Air Force, come to Moby, where the Rams will finish out the season with a homestand Nov. 20-21.
KCSU will be broadcasting CSU volleyball games, allowing fans to still cheer on the Rams regardless of how attendance looks for the fall season.
Scott Nies can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @scott_nies98.
