FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9-8-05

AASU Volleyball Hosts 2005 Chatham Orthopedic Classic
Two-day, 32-match tournament serves up action beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Friday

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Armstrong Atlantic State volleyball squad welcomes in 15 other collegiate teams for the 2005 Chatham Orthopedics Volleyball Classic, taking place on Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10. Play begins at 9:00 a.m. each day in Alumni Arena and continues through 7:00 p.m. each night.

The host Pirates (6-3) will play at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. each evening, facing four region squads. AASU takes on Catawba (3-2) on 1:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon, then hosts No. 14-ranked Florida Southern (8-1) at 7:00 p.m. Saturday sees the Pirates take on Lenoir-Rhyne (5-2) at 1:00 p.m., then close out the tournament with a match against Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras at 7:00 p.m.

Two other teams who advanced to the NCAA Championships, along with AASU and Florida Southern, highlight the other teams in competition this week. Presbyterian (8-0), the South Atlantic Conference champion last year, is in action as well as independent Florida Gulf Coast (6-1). Wingate (7-0) joins Presbyterian as the only undefeated teams coming into Savannah this weekend.

Four other Peach Belt Conference schools join AASU in contests this weekend as Augusta State (2-8), Francis Marion (7-2), USC Aiken (2-2) and USC Upstate (7-3) compete in Savannah. Three other Sunshine State schools join No. 14 Florida Southern this weekend as well – Rollins (7-1), Eckerd (4-1) and Florida Tech (4-2). Rounding out the Classic field is Gulf South Conference school Valdosta State (3-7).

For a complete schedule of the weekend’s action as well as scores updated throughout the Classic, visit the tournament webpage at http://www.athletics.armstrong.edu/volley/vb2005classic.html.

- Pirates -