FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9-7-05

AASU Volleyball Hosts 2006 Chatham Orthopedic Classic
Two-day, 32-match tournament features nation's top-ranked DII squad

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The eighth version of the Chatham Orthopedics Pirate Volleyball Classic, hosted by Armstrong Atlantic State, promises to be one of the most competitive as 15 of the top volleyball programs in the southeast descend upon Savannah for a two-day, 32-match tournament that begins on Friday, September 8, at 9:00 a.m.

Armstrong Atlantic (4-7) will play at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on each day, facing four South region squads. The Pirates face Presbyterian (5-3) in their first match on Friday, then take on No. 6-ranked Florida Southern (6-2) on Friday evening. AASU hosts Lenoir-Rhyne (8-3) in Saturday afternoon’s match, then the Pirates wrap up the Classic action with a showdown with undefeated and No. 1-ranked Tampa (8-0) on Saturday evening.

Tampa’s top-ranked squad will become the first No. 1-ranked collegiate volleyball team to play a match within the city of Savannah when the Spartans compete this weekend. Joining Tampa and Florida Southern as nationally-ranked squads playing in the Classic this weekend is Florida Gulf Coast (5-2), the No. 19-ranked squad in the country.

Seven of the eight teams that competed in the 2005 NCAA DII South Regional last season are in Savannah for the Classic this weekend. Tampa, Florida Southern, Florida Gulf Coast and Presbyterian all advanced to the NCAA Championships last year, as did Francis Marion (8-2), Wingate (7-1) and Rollins (4-1).

Three other Peach Belt Conference schools join AASU and Francis Marion in action this weekend as USC Upstate (8-0), USC Aiken (8-1) and UNC Pembroke (3-4) will take part. The Sunshine State Conference is well represented as Eckerd (5-2) and Florida Tech (2-4) join Tampa, Florida Southern and Rollins. The third conference in the region, the South Atlantic Conference, sends Catawba (1-3) and Wingate (7-1) to join Presbyterian and Lenoir-Rhyne. Rounding out the competing schools is independent Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras.

For a complete schedule of this weekend’s action, as well as scores updated throughout the Classic, visit the tournament webpage at http://www.athletics.armstrong.edu/volley/vb2006classic.html. All four of AASU’s contests will also be webcast with live audio and video.

- Pirates -