Kozak and Gophers Look Forward to the 2017 Season and Beyond

TOWSON, Md – The Goucher College women's volleyball team announced its 2017 slate, including eight home matches and four matches against 2016 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship participants.

Head coach, Kait Kozak, enters her second season with the Gophers following a 7-19 overall season. Goucher went 1-5 in the Landmark Conference, which sent two teams to the 2016 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships (Juniata and Susquehanna).

"There was a lot of growth last year that we are proud of, and that will be necessary for this upcoming season," explained Kozak. "We play some very good teams this season that will challenge us, and give us a better idea of what we need to do moving forward to be a regional contender. I expect the team dynamic and competitiveness to be very different with the addition of seven freshmen. It's exciting to anticipate our new identity, and what it means for the future of the program."

The Gophers will open the 2017 season with 12 straight nonconference matches. Their first match is against Cabrini during a tri-match held in Norfolk, Va. at Virginia Wesleyan Sept. 1-2.

Cabrini fell to Mary Washington in the opening round of the 2016 NCAA Volleyball Championships. Goucher will then host Washington (Md.) in a midweek clash on Sept. 5 prior to heading to McDaniel for a tri-match on Sept. 8-9. The following week will feature a home match against Gwynedd Mercy on Sept. 12 before heading across town to Johns Hopkins to face JHU and Bryn Mawr on Sept. 16. Johns Hopkins was knocked out of the NCAA Second Round by Juniata.

The Gophers' final nonconference matches before heading to conference play are Immaculata at home on Sept. 19 and Marymount on the road, Sept. 23.

Landmark Conference play commences on Sept. 30 when Goucher travels to Scranton, Pa. to take on Scranton and Susquehanna. Susquehanna was defeated in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The Gophers take the following weekend lightly, playing only Bridgewater at home on Oct. 8 and Wesley on the road in Dover, Del. on Oct. 11. Goucher will then travel to Washington, D.C. for the next Landmark Conference bouts against Catholic and Juniata on Oct. 14. Juniata closed out the 2016 season ranked #10 in the nation after a run to the third round of the NCAA tournament.

The following week sorts out to be a group of nonconference matches against Lancaster Bible (Oct. 18) at home, St. Mary's (Md.) on the road (Oct. 21) and Gallaudet in Towson, Md. on Oct. 24.

Landmark Conference regular season play comes to a close on Oct. 28 when Goucher hosts Moravian and Elizabethtown.

The Landmark Conference Tournament begins on Nov. 1 with the top two seeds hosting the bottom two seeds. The finals will be hosted by the highest remaining seed on Nov. 4. The 2017 NCAA Tournament will begin Nov. 11.

For a full look at the 2017 Goucher Volleyball Schedule, click here.

A few notes on 2017 opponents:

Cabrini: 18-15 in 2016; won the Colonial States Athletic Conference regular season and conference title (11-0 in CSAC); fell to No. 14 Mary Washington in NCAA First Round

St. Catherine: 27-12 (10-6 in NAIA Mid-South Conference); fell to Georgetown College 0-3 in the MSC semifinal

Virginia Wesleyan: 16-15 (6-5 in ODAC); fell to Washington & Lee 1-3 in ODAC Quarterfinals

Washington (Md.): 12-13 (3-7 in CAC) 

Alvernia: 9-18 (1-7 in MAC); went 0-4 against Landmark Conference opponents in 2016

St. Mary's (Md.): 21-12 (5-4 in CAC); defeated by Marymount (Va.) in CAC tournament first round in five sets

McDaniel: 12-15 (3-7 in MAC); defeated Gophers 3-0 in 2016

Gwynedd Mercy: 9-18 (4-7 in CSAC) 

Bryn Mawr: 3-19 (0-10 in Centennial Conference); Goucher won 3-0 in 2016

Johns Hopkins: 20-9 (10-0 in Centennial Conference); fell to No. 10 Juniata in NCAA Second Round 1-3

Immaculata: 9-16 (6-5 in CSAC); fell to Neumann 0-3 in CSAC quarterfinal

Shenandoah: 13-16 (4-7 in ODAC); defeated Gophers 3-0 in 2016

Marymount (Va.): 25-9 (7-2 in CAC); fell to Mary Washington in CAC semifinal; advanced to ECAC DIII Championship Seminfal, falling to Emerson 2-3.

Susquehanna: 31-8 (5-1 in Landmark); fell to Juniata in Landmark Conference Finals 0-3; defeated by Clarkson 0-3 in NCAA First Round

Scranton: 22-16 (3-3 in Landmark); lost to Juniata 0-3 in Landmark Conference semifinal

Bridgewater (Va.): 21-10 (7-4 in ODAC); toppled by Randolph-Macon in ODAC semifinal, 0-3

Wesley: 11-17 (0-9 in CAC); beat Goucher 3-0 in Towson, Md. during 2016 campaign

Catholic: 26-11 (4-2 in Landmark); lost to Susquehanna 0-3 in Landmark semifinal

Juniata: 26-7 (6-0 Landmark); won the Landmark Conference in 2016; advanced to NCAA Third Round

Lancaster Bible:

St. Mary's (Md.): 21-12 (5-4 in CAC); defeated by Marymount (Va.) in CAC tournament first round in five sets and defeated by Mary Washington 1-3

Gallaudet: 21-16 (11-2 in NEAC); won the 2017 NEAC Championship; lost to SUNY Brockport 1-3 in NCAA First Round

Moravian: 19-15 (2-4 in Landmark); toppled Gophers 0-3 in 2016

Elizabethtown: 7-22 (0-6 in Landmark); Goucher beat Blue Jays 3-0 in Bethlehem, Pa. during 2016 season