LOGAN, Utah - Utah State head volleyball coach Grayson DuBose announced the 2018 schedule on Tuesday, highlighted by tournaments at Sacramento State and Western Michigan. The Aggies will also face in-state opponents Utah Valley and Weber State before entering their 2018 Mountain West slate.

"This season our schedule is going to challenge our team," he said. "I know they are looking forward to the challenge that this season will provide."

USU opens its 2018 schedule the weekend of August 24-25, traveling to Sacramento State to face the host Hornets, along with Arizona and CS Northridge. The Aggies are 0-2 all-time against Sacramento State, but haven't faced the Hornets since the 1984 season. USU is 6-10 all-time against Arizona and last faced the Wildcats during the 2007 season. Utah State is 7-5-1 all-time against CS Northridge, last facing the Matadors during the 2006 season.

The Aggies return to Logan the weekend of Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, and host a tournament on Kirby Court inside the Wayne Estes Center, welcoming UTRGV, Loyola Marymount and Cal Poly. The match with UTRGV will be just the second meeting between the two schools, as Utah State posted a 3-1 win over then-Texas-Pan American during the 2005 season. The Aggies faced the Lions of LMU last during the 2016 season during a tournament in Denver and the all-time series is tied, 2-2. Utah State is 7-13 all-time against Cal Poly, last facing the Mustangs during the 2004 season.

USU will travel to Utah Valley on Sept. 4 for the first of two in-state games during the season, later facing Weber State at home on Thursday, Sept. 13. The Aggies will wrap up their tournament slate at Western Michigan during the weekend of Sept. 7-8, facing Loyola (Chicago), Milwaukee and the host Broncos. The Aggies and Ramblers have only met once on the volleyball court, a 3-0 victory for Loyola during the 1994 season. Utah State owns a 1-0 series record against Milwaukee, posting a 3-0 win over the Panthers during the 1992 campaign. The match against Western Michigan will mark the first meeting between the two schools on the volleyball court.

"Playing at Sac State and Western Michigan will allow our team to develop quickly," DuBose said. "Playing Cal Poly, LMU and UTRGV at home will also help our team as we progress throughout the season."

Utah State opens its Mountain West slate at New Mexico on Wednesday, Sept. 19, and then hosts its Mountain West home opener against UNLV on Saturday, Sept. 22. The Aggies close the month of September with road contests at San José State on Thursday, Sept. 27, and another at Nevada on Saturday, Sept. 29.

USU opens October with a pair of home matches, hosting Fresno State on Thursday, Oct. 4, and San Diego State on Saturday, Oct. 6. Two road contests follow at Wyoming on Thursday, Oct. 11, and at Colorado State on Saturday, Oct. 13. Utah State opens a four-match homestand against Boise State on Tuesday, Oct. 16, followed by home matches against Air Force on Thursday, Oct. 18, San José State on Thursday, Oct. 25, and Nevada on Saturday Oct. 27.

Utah State with open November on the road at San Diego State on Thursday, Nov. 1, and at Fresno State on Saturday, Nov. 3. The Aggies play their final two matches at home, hosting Colorado State on Thursday, Nov. 8, and Wyoming on Saturday, Nov. 10, in what will also be Senior Night.

The 2018 campaign wraps up with back-to-back road matches at Boise State on Tuesday, Nov. 13, and the season finale at Air Force on Thursday, Nov. 17.

Utah State returns seven letterwinners from its 2017 squad, including middles Lauren O'Brien and Bailey Downing. That duo finished fourth and fifth in total kills a season ago, finishing with 161 and 91, respectively. The Aggie also return a wealth of experience on the back row in libero Tasia Taylor and defensive specialist Maddi Olson-Shepherd. Taylor led USU with 525 digs last season, the fourth-most in a single-season in school history. Taylor also finished second in the Mountain West with 4.86 digs per set. Olson-Shepherd appeared in 23 matches for the Aggies last season, totaling 97 digs. Utah State also returns experience at setter, where Kassidy Johnson appeared and started in 21 matches for the Aggies last season, leading the team with 777 assists and averaging 10.36 per set.

Fans can also follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at USUVolleyball or on Instagram at @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at @USUAthletics, on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics or on Instagram at @USUAthletics.

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