Volleyball Announces 2025 Schedule
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) volleyball team and fifth-year head coach Sheila Gisbrecht have announced the schedule for the upcoming 2025 season. Highlighting the Blue Jays' 29-match regular-season slate are 13 home contests, including four home tri-matches inside the James A. Calhoun Gymnasium on the USJ campus.
The Blue Jays begin the 2025 campaign inside "The Jim," hosting in-state and Little East Conference (LEC) foe Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) on Friday, August 29, at 5:00 p.m.
The following day, USJ remains in West Hartford, welcoming ECSU and Mount Holyoke of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) for a tri-match. The Blue Jays face the Lyons at 12:00 p.m., then have a rematch with the Warriors at 4:00 p.m.
USJ rounds out a season-opening four-match homestand on Wednesday, September 3, battling local foe Trinity College of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). First serve against the Bantams is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
Following the homestand, USJ hits the road for six straight matches, beginning with the Bonnie May Invitational hosted by Smith College (NEWMAC) in Northampton, Mass., on Friday, September 5, and Saturday, September 6.
The Blue Jays open against Elmira College (Empire 8) at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, USJ plays the host Pioneers at 10:00 a.m., then concludes the invitational against Vassar College (Liberty League) at 12:00 p.m.
The Blue Jays stay in Massachusetts to face Fitchburg State (MASCAC) on Wednesday, September 10, at 6:00 p.m. USJ then wraps up the road trip with a tri-match at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, N.Y., on Saturday, September 13, facing the host Gryphons (Skyline) and Curry College (Conference of New England, CNE).
USJ returns home to host local rival University of Hartford (CNE) on Thursday, September 18, at 6:00 p.m. The team then resumes travel to open Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play at Colby-Sawyer College on Saturday, September 20, at 11:00 a.m. in New London, N.H. That same day, the Blue Jays also take on UMass Boston (LEC) at 1:30 p.m.
USJ continues its road stretch with a GNAC tri-match at Regis College in Weston, Mass., on Saturday, September 27, squaring off against the host Pride at 10:00 a.m. and Norwich University at 12:00 p.m.
As the calendar flips to October, the Blue Jays return home for a tri-match on Saturday, October 4, facing Saint Joseph's College of Maine (GNAC) at 11:00 a.m., followed by a match with Framingham State (MASCAC) at 3:00 p.m. USJ then travels to Connecticut College (NESCAC) in New London, Conn., on Tuesday, October 7, for a non-conference matchup at 7:00 p.m.
Back in West Hartford, the Blue Jays play four of their next five matches at home, beginning with a GNAC tri-match on Saturday, October 11, against Dean College at 11:00 a.m. and Emmanuel College at 3:00 p.m. USJ then hosts Bay Path University for a non-conference match on Thursday, October 16, at 7:00 p.m. The Blue Jays travel to New Haven, Conn., to face GNAC rival Albertus Magnus College on Tuesday, October 21, then return home to meet Rivier University on Saturday, October 25.
USJ hits the road again on Thursday, October 30, visiting Simmons University in Boston. The Blue Jays then return to "The Jim" for their final home matches of the regular season, hosting a GNAC tri-match against Elms College and in-state foe Mitchell College on Saturday, November 1. USJ will play the Blazers at 11:00 a.m., followed by the Mariners at 3:00 p.m.
To conclude non-conference play, USJ visits Western Connecticut State University (WestConn) in Danbury, Conn., on Wednesday, November 5, at 7:00 p.m. The regular season concludes with a road tri-match on Saturday, November 8, at New England College in Henniker, N.H., where the Blue Jays take on Lasell University at 1:00 p.m. and the host Pilgrims at 3:00 p.m.
The top eight teams in the conference standings will advance to the 2025 GNAC Tournament, beginning with the quarterfinal round on Tuesday, November 11. The top four seeds will serve as hosts for the quarterfinals. Semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, November 13, and will be hosted by the two highest remaining seeds, with the championship match to follow on Saturday, November 15, hosted by the highest remaining seed.
Admission to all USJ regular-season women's volleyball matches in 2025 is free of charge. Fans who cannot attend in person can watch all the action live and on demand by visiting https://www.usjbluejays.com/watch.
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