CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Head coach Travis Filar announced the
Chattanooga Mocs 2012 schedule on Wednesday, including a 13-match home schedule
at Maclellan Gym. The Mocs will also travel to preseason tournaments at Clemson,
Kennesaw State and Indiana before opening Southern Conference action.
"We are really excited to release a really competitive 2012
schedule," said Filar. "I couldn't be happier with the competitive balance of
teams that we are going to play in the preseason tournaments and mid-week
matchups, which will prepare us for the always grueling Southern Conference schedule."
Chattanooga will open its 31-match slate on August 24 at
Maclellan Gym when the Mocs host the Country Inn & Suites Invitational. Alcorn
State is the home-opener before taking on USC-Upstate and instate-rival
Tennessee Tech to close the weekend.
The Mocs will hit the road on August 31 to participate in
the Clemson Tournament. While in Clemson, S.C., Filar's squad will be paired
against East Tennessee State, Charlotte and the host Tigers.
Alabama A&M will visit Chattanooga for a midweek match on
Sept. 4, before the Mocs travel to Kennesaw, Ga., for four matches at the
Kennesaw State Tournament from Sept. 7-8. Chattanooga will take on the host
Owls, Troy, Tennessee State and North Carolina Central.
A second-midweek tune-up will bring Alabama State to the
Scenic City on Sept. 11. Chattanooga then heads to Bloomington, Ind., on Sept.
14-15 for its last preseason tournament, the Indiana Hoosier Classic. The Mocs will
challenge Miami (Ohio), Valparaiso and Indiana.
"Competing in tournaments at a Big 10 and ACC school are
huge for us and provide our team with an opportunity to measure ourselves up
against some elite programs," said Filar. "It will be really exciting to get
Megan Ernd, who is a native of Indiana, close to home as well as my assistant
coach Taylor Wittmer, who recently finished her playing career with the
Hoosiers."
Chattanooga opens a four-match home stand Sept. 21, going up
against Appalachian State and closing the weekend, Sept. 22, against Western
Carolina. Samford will roll into town on Sept. 28 and Wofford wraps up the
extended home-stand, Sept. 29.
"Opening up the conference schedule with the first four
matches at home will help us gain momentum," said Filar. "It is going to be
challenging, no doubt, going up against three divisional foes, but our
expectation is to be-in and fight during every conference match. It is going to
be great to have that opportunity to do that right away off the bat at home."
The Lady Mocs will hit the road for four-straight matches
beginning Oct. 5 as the team travels to Elon, N.C., to take on the Phoenix. A
matchup with UNCG closes out the week for Chattanooga on Oct. 6.
Next up on the docket for Chattanooga is a trip to
Charleston, S.C., to play College of Charleston and The Citadel on Oct. 13-14.
Davidson and Georgia Southern make the trek to Maclellan Gym
on Oct. 20-21, before the Mocs have a two-game road swing at Furman on Oct. 27 and
Samford on Oct. 30.
The final home weekend of the season is set for Nov. 2-3 as
the Mocs welcome UNCG and Elon to the Scenic City. Senior Day for Chattanooga
is set for the home finale on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. against the Phoenix as the team
honors seniors Paula Passmore (Merritt Island, Fla.), Heather Parman (Ooltewah,
Tenn.), Meagan Ernd (Munster, Ind.) and Christina Teter (San Antonio, Texas).
Chattanooga wraps up the schedule with a road trip to
Western Carolina and Appalachian St., on Nov. 9-10.
"First and foremost is that I wanted to have one focus in
our team's head and hearts throughout the summer," said Filar. "That is to make
it to Davidson because when you get there, anything can happen."
The major goal for the squad entering the 2012 campaign is
to finish in the top four of the SoCon North Division and compete in the
Southern Conference Tournament. This year's event is hosted from Nov. 16-18 in
Davidson, N.C., the hometown of coach Filar.
"On a daily basis, I want to fast forward to August 9th," said
Filar. "That's when we can get back in the gym for the first day of preseason
practice. We have a solid core of veterans coming back that have learned as a
group and individually the leadership qualities that the coaching staff is
looking for. That is a huge in building up our culture and making it stronger. Therefore,
when those freshmen do come in, they are welcomed in and know exactly what is
expected out of how we are going to train in the gym and weight room."
Admission to all the home matches at Maclellan Gym is free
and the times are subject to change. The schedule page at GoMocs.com will have
the most up-to-date information on game times and live events for home and away
matches.