GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum volleyball team will battle nine teams that advanced to last year's NCAA Division II Tournament, including three that ended the year nationally-ranked as the Pioneers have released its 2013 schedule. (2013 Schedule)

The Pioneers will take on a challenging 30-match slate that includes 22 contests against South Atlantic Conference opponents. It promises to be one of the most challenging schedules in school history according to TC head coach Michael Robinson.

"I'm looking forward to our extremely challenging schedule this year," said Robinson. "Playing this kind of pre-conference season competition will help prepare us for SAC play and ultimately the NCAA Tournament should we be fortunate enough to earn a bid again this year."

Tusculum is coming off a solid 24-8 campaign as the Pioneers finished runner-up in both the SAC regular-season and SAC Tournament. TC earned the program its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth, while advancing to the DII Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.

Six of the first 10 matches of the season will be against programs that advanced to the NCAA postseason.

TC will open the campaign on Sep. 6-7 at the Carson-Newman Tournament in Jefferson City, Tenn. The Pioneers will be challenged right out of the gate when they take on South Region runner-up Palm Beach Atlantic to start 2013. The Sailfish posted an impressive 35-4 record last season and finished the year ranked 25th in the final AVCA Division II Poll.

Tusculum will follow in-region contests against UNC Pembroke and Converse, before closing out the C-N Tournament with defending SIAC Tournament Champion Clark Atlanta as the Panthers went 17-16 and claimed the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Pioneers first nine matches will be on the road, including the first five in Jefferson City alone. Tusculum will open its 15th SAC season on Sep. 10 when they take on arch-rival Carson-Newman. The Pioneers have won the last six regular-season encounters against the Lady Eagles, who went 11-16 in 2013 and finished tied for eighth in the league standings.

Tusculum will close out the non-conference portion of its regular-season schedule when they travel to Ohio for the Ashland Tournament Sep. 13-14. Tusculum's four opponents at the tournament (Cedarville, Ashland, Wheeling Jesuit and Lock Haven) combined for an impressive 119-29 record in 2012 (.804 won-loss percentage).

TC will open against Cedarville to get the weekend started. The Yellow Jackets finished with a 32-6 record and won the Great Midwest Conference Championship. It will be the first meeting between Tusculum and Cedarville. Host Ashland is next for the Pioneers as the Eagles earned an at-large berth to the NCAA postseason and finished with a 24-9 worksheet.

Tusculum will take on two-time defending NCAA Atlantic Region champion Wheeling Jesuit in its third match of the weekend. The Cardinals posted a 37-3 record, ended the season ranked 17th in the country and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the second time in program history. WJU is beginning its first season as a member of the newly formed Mountain East Conference.

TC will close out its stay in Ashland with a match-up against Lock Haven. The Lady Eagles finished first in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division, going 26-11 overall and earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament.

After playing its first nine matches on the road, Tusculum will finally open at home on Sep. 20 when the Pioneers host Lenoir-Rhyne on Sep. 20. The Bears finished fourth in the SAC with a 19-12 record and earned a berth to the NCAA postseason. TC and L-R split last year's two meetings. TC will host Brevard on Sep. 21 as the Pioneers swept last year's two meetings and have won six straight against the Tornados.

Tusculum is back on the road Sep. 24 to face Lincoln Memorial. The Pioneers and Railsplitters had plenty of opportunities to size each other up last season as the two in-state foes met four times. LMU won the first meeting in Harrogate, but the Pioneers won the next three, including the SAC Tournament semifinal and the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. LMU finished third in the conference standings and end the season with a 21-14 record.

The Pioneers host Catawba on Sep. 27 as TC returns to Pioneer Arena. The two programs split last year's two meetings, winning on the opponent's home court. TC's loss to Catawba on Oct. 19 was one of only two home setbacks for the Pioneers. The Catawba Indians finished sixth in the league in 2012.

Tusculum welcomes Queens University of Charlotte on Sep. 28 as the Royals are entering their first season as a member of the SAC. Queens posted a 22-12 record last season and finished tied for first place in the Conference Carolinas East Division.

The Pioneers will be on the road for three straight matches starting with an Oct. 4 trip to Newberry. The Wolves put together a solid 19-15 campaign and finished fifth in the league and earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament, advancing to regional semifinal with a upset over third-seeded Flagler. Tusculum swept last year's series with the Wolves and has won five of the last six meetings.

Tusculum travels to Anderson on Oct. 5 to take on the Trojans. AU went 13-17 last season and finished tied for eighth place in the conference as the Pioneers have won 11 of the 12 all-time meetings against Anderson.

Cross-mountain rival Mars Hill is next up for Tusculum as the two program square off on Oct. 8 for a mid-week SAC battle. TC won both regular-season contests against the Lions in 2012.

Tusculum begins a four-match home-stand on Oct. 11 against defending SAC regular-season and tournament champion Wingate. The Bulldogs have enjoyed a stranglehold on the league for the past several seasons, but the Pioneers challenged Wingate in all four meetings in 2012, including a 3-1 victory over the Bulldogs on Sep. 15 to snap WU's 83-match SAC winning streak that spanned six seasons. The Bulldogs won the next three against Pioneers, including a 3-2 marathon in the SAC Tournament final and a 3-0 win in the NCAA Southeast Region championship. Wingate went 31-3 last year and ended the season ranked 23rd in the country.

SAC newcomer Coker visits Pioneer Arena on Oct. 12 as the Cobras are coming off a third place finish in the Conference Carolinas East Division. Coker went 8-22 last year, including a 3-0 setback to the Pioneers.

The second half of the conference season begins on Oct. 15 as Tusculum hosts Lincoln Memorial, followed a week later by an Oct. 22 visit from Carson-Newman.

Tusculum returns to the road for four straight at Lenoir-Rhyne (Oct. 25), Brevard (Oct. 26), Catawba (Nov. 1) and Queens (Nov. 2).

The Pioneers return home for three in a row against Newberry (Nov. 8), Anderson (Nov. 9) and Mars Hill (Nov. 12), before closing out the regular season with road matches at Wingate (Nov. 15) and Coker (Nov. 16).

The 2013 Food Lion SAC Tournament will be held Nov. 22-24 at Eleazer Arena on the Newberry College campus. The NCAA Tournament begins Nov. 29 at regional campus sites. The NCAA Elite Eight will be held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Dec. 12-14.

- TC -