Courtesy: Pac-12 Conference

SAN FRANCISCO – Pac-12 Networks today announced its 2018 women’s volleyball schedule as it is set to air 88 matches this coming season, the Networks’ seventh season of coverage. The action begins with doubleheaders on Friday, Aug. 31 and Saturday, Sept. 1 with the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge between Illinois and Colorado as well as Iowa and Washington.

2017 Pac-12 Champion Stanford makes its first appearance on the Networks on Friday, Sept. 7 against Penn State, following a matchup between Oregon and Minnesota taking place at Stanford. The Cardinal, led by 2017 Pac-12 Player of the Year sophomore Kathryn Plummer, will appear on Pac-12 Networks 18 times during the regular season. No. 4 AVCA ranked Stanford will look to add an eighth national championship this year and break a tie with Penn State as both currently hold seven national championships, the most by a single program.

Also rounding out last season in the top 25, No. 7 USC will make 11 regular season appearances on Pac-12 Networks, No. 11 Utah 15 appearances, No. 14 UCLA 14 appearances, No. 15 Washington 19 appearances and No. 19 Colorado 16 appearances. Each Pac-12 university will appear on Pac-12 Networks at least 11 times in 2018.

With six teams ranked in the top 25 in the nation at the end of last season, Pac-12 squads are gearing up for another exciting and competitive year. Last season marked the 12th-consecutive year the Pac-12 had at least six teams earn tournament berths. League teams went 8-1 in the first round, eventually advancing five teams to the round of 16, the 18th time at least three Pac-12 teams reached the regional semifinal round. To date, Pac-12 women’s volleyball teams have notched a record 15 NCAA titles, including 12 of the last 25. Six Pac-12 teams appeared in the final AVCA poll, with the Cardinal spending the entire season in the top five and finishing at No. 4. USC ended up in the top 10 at No. 7 after starting the season unranked, while Utah received its highest final rating at No. 11.

The complete 2018 television schedule for women’s volleyball is available here at Pac-12.com.