Sept. 22, 2010

STANFORD, Calif. -

The Stanford men's volleyball team will open its NCAA title defense on Jan. 5, the opening night of the 2011 season.

The home match against UC Santa Cruz triggers the Cardinal's quest for a repeat championship. The 27-match regular season includes five nonconference contests. Stanford hopes to conclude the season at the NCAA Championship in State College, Pa.

Stanford's Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opener will be Jan. 14 against visiting BYU, a conference semifinalist last season.

Stanford loses three starters to graduation -- AVCA National Player of the Year setter Kawika Shoji, All-American opposite Evan Romero, and school blocks record-holder Garrett Werner.

The 2011 team features All-Americans Brad Lawson and Erik Shoji, plus veterans Spencer McLachlin and Gus Ellis, as well as a seven-member freshman class that includes two U.S. Junior National Team players.

Stanford (24-6 last season) travels out of the West only once, for a two-match Midwestern trip to Lewis, and Loyola of Chicago. UCSC and Cal Baptist fill the other nonconference spots.

Stanford will have a late-season six-match homestand that begins with Cal Baptist on March 19 and continues with a March 25 showdown against Cal State Northridge, a 2009 NCAA final four team.

The home match sites of Burnham Pavilion and Maples Pavilion have yet to be finalized.

To view Stanford's 2011 schedule, click here.