AZUSA, Calif. -- The schedule for Azusa Pacific Volleyball’s 2004 season has been released. The 28th season of intercollegiate volleyball will feature 31 regular season games, 20 of which are Golden State Athletic Conference games.

The Cougars open the season Friday, August 27 at the Sunbird Invitational hosted by reigning NAIA champion Fresno Pacific. A 2-day affair in Fresno, Calif., the Cougars will battle fellow NAIA Region II foes Bethany and Notre Dame de Namur as well as NAIA tournament-participant Southern Oregon.

New to the docket this year is the Grand Canyon Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz., September 3-4 as well as non-conference games against Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) (Sept. 24 in Azusa) and a home-and-home with Alliant International (Oct. 1 in San Diego and Oct. 14 in Azusa).

The GSAC slate begins Tuesday, September 7 against Hope International in Fullerton, Calif., which will be the first meeting for new head coach Chris Keife against his former team. The Cougars’ home opener is just 4 days later (September 11) against Concordia. Defending champ Fresno Pacific visits the Felix Event Center Tuesday, October 5.

Under the direction of Keife, the seventh coach in the history of the program, the Cougars, who won the NAIA’s first-ever volleyball championship in 1980, are looking to erase the memories of last year’s 17-14 finish (9-11 GSAC) in which the Cougars failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Former coach Gerry Gregory retired from coaching after 20 years, the last 6 at the Cougar helm.

To view the 2004 Cougar schedule, click here.