Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: Wesley Kurz
Werle reveals Lopes' 2025 schedule
11/19/2024 11:45:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
GCU to take on unique matchups, experience new venues
The Grand Canyon men's volleyball team released its 2025 schedule, looking to repeat the program's recent success.
"We are very excited about our upcoming 2025 campaign," Lopes head coach Matt Werle said.
In 2024, the Lopes made historic strides, landing their first-ever American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America first-team selections (three), first No. 1 ranking and having Werle be awarded Coach of the Year from the AVCA and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation after he led GCU to its first MPSF championship and first NCAA tournament win to reach the Final Four.
GCU returns starters in graduate opposite Jarrett Anderson and senior libero Cooper Herndon.
The Lopes will begin the season on the road Jan. 11-12 at New Jersey Institute of Technology for two matches, just 30 minutes from New York City. GCU has not played at NJIT since 2013, when the Lopes won 3-1.
"I spoke with their coach, and they're excited to have their first matches of the year be at home," Werle said. "It is the first time in 10 years as a head coach that he's opening up at home, so they're excited."
The Lopes return home to host four straight matches with two against George Mason (Jan. 17-18) and two against UC Santa Barbara (Jan. 24-25).
"George Mason is always a really tough competitor, similar to the style of volleyball we like to play," Werle said. "We are also playing host to UC Santa Barbara, and they are always a really talented program."
GCU will head to Reno, Nevada, to close January and open the February slate of matches.
"We're taking a little road trip to Reno for a tournament where we can showcase our team and the sport of men's volleyball at the highest level in front of some club athletes," Werle said. "It'll be an event hosted at a boys tournament, which will be pretty cool to play in front of those fans and those youth."
GCU will face Belmont Abbey (Jan. 31) and Fort Valley State (Feb. 1). Both teams are coming off appearing in last season's NCAA tournament.
The Lopes will return home to face UC San Diego on Feb.14-15 at Global Credit Union Arena. GCU has won the last five matches in the series, dating back to 2020.
GCU then looks to take on top Big West talent when it plays at Cal State Northridge (Feb. 19) and at Long Beach State (Feb. 21).
"That'll be a tough one, a Wednesday-Friday set-up," Werle said. "It will be the first time playing Cal State Northridge in a long time in their gym. Then playing at The Pyramid at Long Beach State, obviously there's a little sour taste in our mouth from the NCAA semifinals last year, but we're excited to get in front of their hostile crowd on a Friday night for a good highlight match."
GCU has not been to CSUN since 2013 and has only played the Matadors twice since then. In May, the Lopes fell to Long Beach State 3-2 in the NCAA semifinal match in a packed environment. The Lopes have only faced Long Beach State once in the regular season prior, a neutral-site loss in 2019.
The Lopes play the first MPSF conference matches at Pepperdine on Feb. 27-28.
"Obviously, the traditional opponents in the MPSF, top to bottom, there's going to be talent, and we always know that that road is tough," Werle said. "But being able to be on the road at the MPSF host site for the tournament in Pepperdine is great to get exposure into Firestone Fieldhouse."
GCU will take on Penn State on March 8-9 at home, marking the Nittany Lions' first time playing at GCU.
"Having Penn State on our campus is pretty special," Werle said. "I have some great relationships with that staff, so I am excited to get the Nittany Lions on our campus."
From there, the Lopes will face conference opponents Concordia Irvine (March 14-15) and BYU (March 21-22) in Phoenix.
GCU will head to USC to take on the Trojans at Galen Center, a venue that the Lopes recall well for when they won the MPSF Championship title match against UCLA in April.
Reigning national champion UCLA will visit GCU on April 4-5, in the first matchup since Bruins head coach John Speraw left the program to become the CEO of USA Volleyball.
The Lopes close the regular season with a trip to Stanford on April 17-18 before the MPSF Championship runs April 21-26 in Malibu, California.
"We are excited about this upcoming season," Werle said.
"We are very excited about our upcoming 2025 campaign," Lopes head coach Matt Werle said.
In 2024, the Lopes made historic strides, landing their first-ever American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America first-team selections (three), first No. 1 ranking and having Werle be awarded Coach of the Year from the AVCA and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation after he led GCU to its first MPSF championship and first NCAA tournament win to reach the Final Four.
GCU returns starters in graduate opposite Jarrett Anderson and senior libero Cooper Herndon.
The Lopes will begin the season on the road Jan. 11-12 at New Jersey Institute of Technology for two matches, just 30 minutes from New York City. GCU has not played at NJIT since 2013, when the Lopes won 3-1.
"I spoke with their coach, and they're excited to have their first matches of the year be at home," Werle said. "It is the first time in 10 years as a head coach that he's opening up at home, so they're excited."
The Lopes return home to host four straight matches with two against George Mason (Jan. 17-18) and two against UC Santa Barbara (Jan. 24-25).
"George Mason is always a really tough competitor, similar to the style of volleyball we like to play," Werle said. "We are also playing host to UC Santa Barbara, and they are always a really talented program."
GCU will head to Reno, Nevada, to close January and open the February slate of matches.
"We're taking a little road trip to Reno for a tournament where we can showcase our team and the sport of men's volleyball at the highest level in front of some club athletes," Werle said. "It'll be an event hosted at a boys tournament, which will be pretty cool to play in front of those fans and those youth."
GCU will face Belmont Abbey (Jan. 31) and Fort Valley State (Feb. 1). Both teams are coming off appearing in last season's NCAA tournament.
The Lopes will return home to face UC San Diego on Feb.14-15 at Global Credit Union Arena. GCU has won the last five matches in the series, dating back to 2020.
GCU then looks to take on top Big West talent when it plays at Cal State Northridge (Feb. 19) and at Long Beach State (Feb. 21).
"That'll be a tough one, a Wednesday-Friday set-up," Werle said. "It will be the first time playing Cal State Northridge in a long time in their gym. Then playing at The Pyramid at Long Beach State, obviously there's a little sour taste in our mouth from the NCAA semifinals last year, but we're excited to get in front of their hostile crowd on a Friday night for a good highlight match."
GCU has not been to CSUN since 2013 and has only played the Matadors twice since then. In May, the Lopes fell to Long Beach State 3-2 in the NCAA semifinal match in a packed environment. The Lopes have only faced Long Beach State once in the regular season prior, a neutral-site loss in 2019.
The Lopes play the first MPSF conference matches at Pepperdine on Feb. 27-28.
"Obviously, the traditional opponents in the MPSF, top to bottom, there's going to be talent, and we always know that that road is tough," Werle said. "But being able to be on the road at the MPSF host site for the tournament in Pepperdine is great to get exposure into Firestone Fieldhouse."
GCU will take on Penn State on March 8-9 at home, marking the Nittany Lions' first time playing at GCU.
"Having Penn State on our campus is pretty special," Werle said. "I have some great relationships with that staff, so I am excited to get the Nittany Lions on our campus."
From there, the Lopes will face conference opponents Concordia Irvine (March 14-15) and BYU (March 21-22) in Phoenix.
GCU will head to USC to take on the Trojans at Galen Center, a venue that the Lopes recall well for when they won the MPSF Championship title match against UCLA in April.
Reigning national champion UCLA will visit GCU on April 4-5, in the first matchup since Bruins head coach John Speraw left the program to become the CEO of USA Volleyball.
The Lopes close the regular season with a trip to Stanford on April 17-18 before the MPSF Championship runs April 21-26 in Malibu, California.
"We are excited about this upcoming season," Werle said.
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