ELON, NC -- Elon University volleyball coach Mary Tendler, in her first season with the Phoenix, issued her 2003 schedule on Friday morning. The upcoming season will be the first in the prestigious Southern Conference for the Phoenix.

The Phoenix slate will consist of 10 home dates plus the inaugural Phoenix Classic Tournament. Elon will hit the road for 10 dates plus tournaments at Tulane, Liberty and Auburn.

Elon will open the 2003 season at a tournament hosted by Tulane where the Phoenix will square off with Wright State on August 29. Elon will also face Tulane and Nichols State in the tournament. The Liberty tournament will feature Liberty, East Carolina, Morehead State and Oklahoma, while the tournament at Auburn will see Elon play Auburn, Mercer and Lipscomb.

The Phoenix Classic Tournament will play host to Mercer, UNC Asheville and UNC Wilmington on September 5-6 in Alumni Gym and will mark the first home appearance of the season for Elon.

North Carolina A&T will be the only home non-conference tilt for Tendler's squad who will play host to Southern Conference opponents UNC Greensboro, Wofford, Furman, Chattanooga, East Tennessee State, College of Charleston, The Citadel, Western Carolina and Appalachian State. The matches against College of Charleston and The Citadel will mark the only appearances of those teams on the 2003 schedule.

The only road non-conference action will come when Elon travels to High Point. The Phoenix will make conference road trips to Western Carolina, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Davidson, UNC Greensboro, Wofford, Furman, Chattanooga and East Tennessee State. The matches against Georgia Southern and Davidson will mark the only appearances of those to SoCon foes in 2003.

--ELON--