Western Kentucky volleyball coach Travis Hudson talks to his players Nov. 14 during the team’s 3-0 win over Louisiana Tech at E. A. Diddle Arena.

The Western Kentucky volleyball team will face another tough test this fall as the team announced its complete 2022 schedule Monday.

The schedule includes 29 regular-season matches before the Conference USA Tournament comes to Bowling Green.

“We’re excited to finally be able to release our schedule,” WKU head coach Travis Hudson said in a news release. “It’s been a frustrating process this year as we waited for our conference schedule, but we feel fortunate to have been able to put together a schedule of this quality with so many unknowns. Overcoming the loss of six seniors will be challenging, but we have a talented young group led by some experienced returners and we’re looking forward to getting started.”

The Hilltoppers will face three NCAA Tournament teams from last season in Louisville (Final Four), Tennessee (second round) and Rice (second round) with the Cardinals and Owls visiting Diddle Arena. WKU’s regular-season slate features four Power Five opponents spanning the ACC, Big Ten and SEC.

WKU will also host the C-USA Tournament from Nov. 18-20, marking the second time since joining the league the Tops have hosted the event. The Hilltoppers claimed the 2017 C-USA Tournament championship the last time it hosted.

Nine of the 23 squads WKU will face in 2022 posted 20-win seasons in 2021 and 14 owned winning records (seven C-USA teams were below .500).

In four nonconference tournaments to open the season, WKU will visit events hosted by Bradley on opening weekend and Bowling Green State the next weekend. In between those two tournaments, the Hilltoppers will host Louisville for the third time in program history as its 2022 home opener Aug. 31.

Weekends three and four will keep the Tops at home for the Holiday Inn-University Plaza Hotel Invitational and WKU Volleyball Invite. Across those events, Northern Kentucky, Toledo, Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech, Texas A&M and Indiana will visit.

WKU will close midweek nonconference action with a trip to Austin Peay on Oct. 5.

Conference USA play will open with a road trip to UAB and Middle Tennessee on Oct. 23 and 25. WKU returns home the following weekend to host FIU (Sept. 30) and Charlotte (Oct. 2). The Hilltoppers will host UTSA on Oct. 9 before hitting the road for matches in the Lone Star State the following weekend at North Texas (Oct. 14) and UTEP (Oct. 16).

WKU will play a split weekend next, visiting Charlotte on Oct. 21 before hosting the Blue Raiders on Oct. 23. WKU will remain home the next weekend with UAB (Oct. 28) and Louisiana Tech (Oct. 29) coming to town.

The final road trip of the regular season for WKU will be the Florida swing as the Tops visit Florida Atlantic on Nov. 4 and FIU on Nov. 6.

Regular-season play will conclude for the Hilltoppers on Nov. 10 as Rice visits Bowling Green.

Just over a week later, WKU will welcome the league’s top eight teams (by conference winning percentage) for the Conference USA Tournament. From Nov. 18-20, the Tops will host the single-elimination tournament.