NEW ORLEANS, LA.—Trips to the Region XIII tournament are nothing new for the Dillard University volleyball team. Since Javonne Butler arrived on the scene in 2001, the team has advanced to the Region XIII tournament each year. Entering the 2005 campaign, Butler and assistant coach Charlotte Williams expect the same end result, a trip to the Region XIII tournament.

Following a season-opening visit to Houston to play in the Texas Southern University tournament against three foes from the Division I Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), the Blue Devils will host the first-ever Dillard University tournament on September 9th and 10th with matches beginning at 10 AM each day. Competing in the tournament with the Blue Devils will be St. Thomas University (Florida), Faulkner University, Mississippi College and Bethel College. Conference rivals Xavier and Loyola will also be participating.

The Blue Devils will stay on the Dent Hall floor to open the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference schedule with a visit from the conference's newest volleyball participant, the University of Mobile on September 13th.

"Mobile will be a team to watch looking at their coach and recruits, his background and their background," Butler said. "They're going to be competitive."

The Blue Devils will continue their schedule with a tournament hosted by regional power Lee University before returning to conference play with matches against Loyola and Spring Hill. The Loyola Tri-Match follows on September 30th and October 1st featuring matches with the University of Michigan - Dearborne, Mississippi Valley State and Iowa Weslayan.

After stepping back into conference play for matches against Belhaven and Xavier, SWAC member Jackson State pays a visit to Dent Hall on October 8th.

"I think as far as for our girls, it's a good experience for them playing at that level," Butler said. "We've competed and beaten several Division I schools over the last four years such as Texas Southern, Jackson State and Southern, and we played well against those we lost to.

The first-ever trip to Mobile follows on October 11th before the Blue Devils compete in a tournament hosted by Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama on October 14th and 15th.

Dillard continues their rivalry against Xavier at Dent Hall on October 18th before taking road trips to Loyola and Spring Hill. Another Division I opponent from the SWAC, Alabama State closes out the home slate on October 29th before the regular season comes to a close at Belhaven on November 4th.

With the goal of earning a berth in the Region XIII tournament within grasp, the Blue Devils will compete in the GCAC tournament in Jackson, MS on November 11th and 12th. A week later, the Region XIII tournament will take place, hosted by the top ranked team in the region.

Sep 2 Texas Southern, 5 PM (Texas Southern Tourney)

Sep 3 Mississippi Valley State, 9 AM (Texas Southern Tourney)

Sep 3 Prairie View A&M, 1 PM (Texas Southern Tourney)

Sep 9 Faulkner University, 12 PM (Dillard University Tourney)

Sep 9 Bethel College, 8 PM (Dillard University Tourney)

Sep 10 Mississippi College, 12 PM (Dillard University Tourney)

Sep 13 *University of Mobile, 7 PM

Sep 16 Lee University, 2 PM (Lee University Tourney)

Sep 16 Spring Hill, 4:30 PM (Lee University Tourney)

Sep 17 TBA (Lee University Tourney)

Sep 17 TBA (Lee University Tourney)

Sep 20 *Loyola University, 7 PM

Sep 27 *Spring Hill College, 7 PM

Sep 30 University of Michigan - Dearborne, 12:30 PM (Loyola Tri-Match)

Oct 1 Mississippi Valley State, 11:30 AM (Loyola Tri-Match)

Oct 1 Iowa Wesleyan, 4:30 PM (Loyola Tri-Match)

Oct 4 *Belhaven College, 7 PM

Oct 6 *at Xavier University, 7 PM

Oct 8 Jackson State, 6 PM

Oct 11 *at University of Mobile, 7:30 PM

Oct 14 Brewton-Parker, 9 AM (Faulkner University Tournament)

Oct 14 Faulkner, 3 PM (Faulkner University Tournament)

Oct 15 Shorter, 10 AM (Faulkner University Tournament)

Oct 15 Reinhardt, 2 PM (Faulkner University Tournament)

Oct 18 *Xavier University, 7 PM

Oct 25 *at Loyola University, 7 PM

Oct 28 *at Spring Hill College, 7 PM

Oct 29 Alabama State, 3 PM

Nov 4 *at Belhaven College, 7 PM

Nov 11 GCAC Tournament, Jackson, MS

Nov 12 GCAC Tournament, Jackson, MS

Nov 18 Region XIII Tournament, TBA

Nov 19 Region XIII Tournament, TBA

* Denotes GCAC Conference Game