ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Lewis University head men's volleyball coach Dan Friend announced on Monday (Nov. 15) his 2022 schedule which includes 14 matches against opponents that finished 2021 ranked in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 15 poll, including two with defending national champion Hawaii along with NCAA qualifiers Belmont Abbey and Pepperdine.

Lewis opens the season at home with a match against UC-Irvine who finished 2021 ranked tied for 15th along with Ball State in the final coaches poll on January 2 at 7 pm.

The Flyers will then travel to Tennessee for a pair of matches against Lincoln Memorial and King on January 7 and 8.

Lewis begins a five-match homestand on Tuesday, January 11 against first year program Maryville and will also take on New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Saint Francis (Pa.), Long Beach State and Belmont Abbey.

The Flyers travel to southern California the final weekend in January for matches against Pepperdine and UCLA.

Lewis returns home the following weekend hosting Central State (Ohio) and Grand Canyon.

Ball State is one of four Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association members that finished 2021 ranked in the AVCA Top 15. The Flyers will host the Cardinals at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10 in the MIVA opener and will travel to Muncie, Ind., on April 2.

Lewis travels to local rival Loyola, who finished 10th in the country on Feb. 26 and will host the Ramblers on March 26.

The Flyers will play McKendree twice in the span of four days. The first meeting will be in Romeoville on March 16 with the second one in Lebanon, Ill., on March 19.