OKLAHOMA CITY – Coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history, the Mid-America Christian volleyball team has announced its upcoming 2022 schedule.
Overall, the Evangels are slated to compete in 32 regular season matches, which includes 12 matches at home, 11 matches on the road and nine matches played at a neutral site.
"I am enthusiastic about the quality of competition we will be facing this year," said MACU head coach Holly McKamie. "Last year, we played in a couple of non-conference tournaments that presented a unique challenge that prepared us well for both Sooner Athletic Conference play and the postseason. This year, we will be competing in a pair of four-match tournaments at Tabor and Hastings, so I am confident we will be well prepared for another season of grueling SAC play."
The Evangels will officially open the season with a four-match slate at the Tabor College Tournament in Hillsboro, Kansas from Aug. 19-20. The opponents and times of each match will be determined at a later date.
MACU will then compete in another four-match tournament Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska from Aug. 26-27. The Evangels will face a pair of quality opponents to open the tourney, starting with a 2 p.m. match against Presentation (S.D.) before facing one of the top teams from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) in Kansas Wesleyan at 6 p.m. on Aug. 26. MACU will close out with a 12 p.m. matchup against Bethel (Kan.) and a 4 p.m. game against York (Neb.) on Aug. 27.
Mid-America Christian will host its home-opening tri-match on Aug. 31 as the Evangels will take on Oklahoma Wesleyan and Southwestern (Kan.) inside the Gaulke Activity Center. MACU will take on the Eagles at 3 p.m. before facing the Moundbuilders at 7 p.m. while OKWU and SC will take each other on in the 5 p.m. match.
The Evangels will open Sooner Athletic Conference play on Sept. 2 as the Evangels will travel to Wayland Baptist for a 7 p.m. match before playing at Oklahoma Panhandle State at 1 p.m. on Sept. 3. MACU's first SAC matches at home will fall on Sept. 6 and Sept. 8 as the Evangels will face Southwestern Christian and Oklahoma City in a pair of 7 p.m. matchups.
MACU will hold its Senior Day ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. against John Brown before wrapping up the regular season with a Nov. 3 matchup at Langston.
The 2022 Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament will take place from Nov. 8-12 with the top four seeds hosting the quarterfinal rounds while the semifinals and championship match will be held at Southwestern Assemblies of God in Waxahachie, Texas on Nov. 11 and Nov. 12.
Mid-America Christian will be looking to continue to build on the success of the 2021 squad that finished the year with a 30-9 overall record and boasted its best record ever in Sooner Athletic Conference play by going 15-5 against league competition.
The Evangels carried its momentum into postseason play as MACU won its first ever NCCAA Central Region Championship after sweeping College of the Ozarks 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-11) in Point Lookout, Mo. on Nov. 18.
MACU followed it up with another incredible streak at the NCCAA National Championships from Dec. 2-4. The Evangels opened pool play with a 3-2 (25-16, 18-25, 25-18, 18-25, 15-12) victory over Judson (Ill.) before sweeping Warner (Fla.) (25-14, 25-14, 25-16) and top-seeded Bethel (Ind.) (25-23, 25-18, 25-23) to advance out of pool play.
Mid-America Christian then challenged Campbellsville in the semifinal round, topping the Tigers 3-1 (25-22, 16-25, 25-12, 25-20) before unfortunately falling in a hard-fought, straight-set match to Columbia International (25-23, 26-24, 25-20) in the championship match.
