CHICAGO (July 26, 2021) – Loyola University Chicago women's volleyball coach Amanda Berkley announced today the Ramblers' 2021 schedule, just months after completing a unique and abbreviated 2020 campaign. During the fall 2021 campaign, Loyola will host each of the other nine Missouri Valley Conference programs in addition to welcoming three other teams to Gentile Arena for a round-robin tournament in early September.
 
"Our 2021 schedule may be the toughest one we have assembled in the last few years," Berkley said. "Facing off against a pair of Top 25 teams in Western Kentucky and Notre Dame right out of the gate will give us a true indicator of where we are at as a team. And to close out the nonconference portion of the schedule with three great tournaments against some quality programs, including a pair of Power 5 teams, should prepare us for what is an absolute grind in the Missouri Valley Conference. Over the years, The Valley has proven to be one of the top volleyball leagues in the country and this year should be no exception."
 
The Ramblers, who are coming off an 11-9 season in which they reached the title match of the MVC Championship, host Green Bay in an exhibition match on August 21 before officially raising the curtain on the regular season at the Golden Dome Invitational hosted by the University of Notre Dame, August 27 and 28. Loyola opens the tournament by facing Oakland on August 27 before taking on Western Kentucky, which ended last season ranked No. 16 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll, and the host Fighting Irish, who closed the 2020 campaign ranked No. 24,  on August 28.
 
Loyola then returns to Chicago to host the Loyola Invitational, which includes Eastern Kentucky, SIU Edwardsville and Jesuit rival Xavier, September 3 and 4 at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers finish out the nonconference portion of the 2021 slate by competing at the K-State Invitational in Manhattan, Kan., along with Ohio, Fresno State and Kansas State, September 9 and 10, and the annual Chicago Cup, which will be hosted by Northwestern, September 17 and 18.
 
Missouri Valley Conference action commences a week later with a weekend series at Missouri State (Sept. 24) and Southern Illinois (Sept. 25). Loyola opens up a rare four-match homestand to kick off the month of October, with Evansville (Oct. 1), Indiana State (Oct. 2), Northern Iowa (Oct. 4) and Valparaiso (Oct. 8) all paying a visit to Rogers Park.
 
That extended stay at home is followed by a stretch that will see the Ramblers play four of their next six contests on the road to close out October. A quick trip to central Illinois for showdowns with Illinois State (Oct. 15) and Bradley (Oct. 16) starts that six-match stretch and after a return to the Windy City for tilts with Southern Illinois (Oct. 22) and Missouri State (Oct. 23), Loyola hits the road again to battle Indiana State (Oct. 29) and Evansville (Oct. 30).
 
Loyola gets its first look at Drake on November 1 at Gentile Arena to open the home stretch of the season and then the Ramblers close out the week with a short trip across the Indiana Toll Road to Valparaiso (Nov. 5). Bradley (Nov. 12) and Illinois State (Nov. 13) travel to the Lake Shore Campus for the Ramblers' final home series of the regular season and Loyola wraps up the regular season the following weekend with a trip to Iowa to face Drake (Nov. 19) and Northern Iowa (Nov. 20). 
 
For the second straight season, the MVC Championship will be held at Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill., November 25 through 27. 
 
Loyola returns five starters from last season's club, including MVC All-Freshman outside hitter Emily Banitt and MVC All-Freshman libero Grace Hinchman, along with 2019 MVC First Team All-MVC selections Addie Barnes and Taylor Venuto, among others. 
 
The complete 2021 women's volleyball schedule is listed below.
 
Aug. 21 – Green Bay (Exhibition)
Aug. 27 – vs. Oakland #
Aug. 28 – vs. Western Kentucky #
Aug. 28 – at Notre Dame #
Sept. 3 – Eastern Kentucky $
Sept. 3 – SIU Edwardsville $ 
Sept. 4 – Xavier $
Sept. 9 – vs. Ohio %
Sept. 9 – vs. Fresno State %
Sept. 10 – at Kansas State %
Sept. 17 – vs. DePaul ^
Sept. 18 – vs. UIC ^
Sept. 18 – at Northwestern ^
Sept. 24 – at Missouri State *
Sept. 25 – at Southern Illinois *
Oct. 1 – Evansville * 
Oct. 2 – Indiana State *
Oct. 4 – Northern Iowa *
Oct. 8 – Valparaiso *
Oct. 15 – at Illinois State *
Oct. 16 – at Bradley *
Oct. 22 – Southern Illinois *
Oct. 23 – Missouri State *
Oct. 29 – at Indiana State *
Oct. 30 – at Evansville *
Nov. 1 – Drake *
Nov. 5 – at Valparaiso *
Nov. 12 – Bradley *
Nov. 13 – Illinois State *
Nov. 19 – at Drake *
Nov. 20 – at Northern Iowa *
Nov. 25-27 – at MVC Championship (Normal, Ill.)