Skylights play a tough schedule

Summer is just heating up. But, the 2016 college volleyball season isn't that far off, and not only has Montana State University-Northern head coach Bill Huebsch announced a big recruiting class this past spring, but, the Skylights have pretty much finalized their 2016 schedule as well.

Northern, which went 10-19 overall last season, will open the 2016 season with the Big Sky Challenge in Butte. The tournament will pit many members of the Frontier Conference against members of the Cascade Conference, and the Skylights will play four such teams to open the season.

Northern begins the season Aug. 26 against Corban University and NAIA power Eastern Oregon, before playing Evergreen State and Northwest University Aug. 27.

MSU-N then begins September with its third straight trip to the prestigious Bellevue College Tournament in Nebraska. There, the Skylights will face Dordt College, College of the Ozarks, William Woods and Northwestern University of Iowa.

MSU-N's third week of non-conference play will bring the Skylights back to Montana, where they'll play four matches at the University of Great Falls Tournament Sept. 9-10. Those four teams have yet to be determined.

And while Huebsch always likes to challenge his team with a tough non-conference schedule, the Skylights will do so in preparation for yet another challenging slate in the Frontier Conference.

Once again, the league will play a 12-match schedule, with a full bye week, but this season's schedule is a little different as many teams will play more home-and-away weekends.

The Skylights, which went 2-10 in league play a year ago, finishing sixth, will open their conference season inside the Armory Gymnasium Sept. 16 against defending Frontier champion Rocky Mountain College. Then, Northern will go right to the road with a match at UM-Western Sept. 17.

The rest of September includes a home match with rival UGF Sept. 22 and a visit to Carroll College, which finished tied for first in the Frontier a year ago on Sept. 23. Northern then finishes the month at Montana Tech Sept. 29 before beginning October with a trip to Lewis-Clark State.

An odd October also includes a single home match with UM-Western Oct. 8, the bye week Oct. 10-16 and a single road match at RMC Oct. 21. MSU-N also travels to UGF Oct. 27 before starting a three-match home stand to finish the regular season with the Fighting Saints Oct. 28.

The final weekend of the regular season will see Northern play LC State and Montana Tech on back-to-back nights in the Armory Nov. 4-5.

And with the schedule, comes fierce competition. MSU-N will play six squads which were ranked or receiving votes in the final 2015 NAIA Coaches Poll. Those teams include Dordt, Eastern Oregon, Northwestern of Iowa, Rocky, Carroll and LC State.

Once again, the Skylights open their season Aug. 26-27 at the Big Sky Challenge in Butte. Northern's first home match of the season is set for Sept. 16 against RMC, and the season comes down to the 2016 Frontier Conference Tournament, which will be held Nov. 10-12 in Great Falls.

2016 Skylight Volleyball Schedule

Aug. 26-27 at Big Sky Challenge in Butte

Aug. 26 vs Corban University

Aug. 26 vs Eastern Oregon University

Aug. 27 vs Evergreen State

Aug. 27 vs Northwest University

Sept. 2-3 at Bellevue College Tournament

Sept. 2 vs Dordt, Iowa

Sept. 2 vs College of the Ozarks

Sept. 3 vs William Woods

Sept. 3 vs Northwestern, Iowa

Sept. 9 at UGF Tournament

Sept. 10 at UGF Tournament

Sept. 16 vs Rocky Mountain

Sept. 17 at UM-Western

Sept. 22 vs UGF

Sept. 23 at Carroll College

Sept. 29 at Montana Tech

Oct. 1 at Lewis-Clark State

Oct. 8 vs UM-Western

Oct. 10-16 Bye Week

Oct. 21 at Rocky Mountain

Oct. 27 at UGF

Oct. 28 vs Carroll College

Nov. 4 vs Lewis-Clark State

Nov. 5 vs Montana Tech

Nov. 10-12 Frontier Tournament

At Great Falls