Follow
Princeton is back and in a big way to start the season.
The Tigers after opting out of the 2021 season because of the coronavirus pandemic unveiled on Tuesday their 2022 schedule that will feature a four-match season opening West Coast road trip.
This non-conference trip will be highlighted with matches UCLA and Pepperdine — two teams that finished last season in the top 10 of the national rankings.
Pepperdine defeated UCLA in the MPSF Tournament semifinals as the Waves edged out the Bruins for the final at-large bid to the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Both teams also return multiple all-conference starters for the upcoming season.
Along with these matches, Princeton will open the season against USC and will close out the road trip versus CSUN.
Princeton was attempting to defend its EIVA championship and was coming off of its first NCAA Tournament appearances in 17 years when the 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic. Among the starters returning from the two-year layoff for the Tigers includes All-EIVA setter Joe Kelly and former U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team pin-hitter James Hartley.
Five of the Tigers’ first six matches will be against West Coast teams. The team following its season opening road trip will have a two-match homestand that culminates against UC San Diego.
Princeton is 7-29 against West Coast teams since 2015, including two victories against UC San Diego. It also defeated both UCLA and CSUN during a West Coast road trip in 2020.
2022 Princeton schedule
Jan. 12 at USC
Jan. 15 at UCLA
Jan. 17 at Pepperdine
Jan. 19 at CSUN
Jan. 23 vs. Daemen
Jan. 29 vs. UC San Diego
Feb. 4 at Penn State
Feb. 5 at Saint Francis
Feb. 12 at NJIT
Feb. 13 at St. Francis Brooklyn
Feb. 18 vs. Charleston
Feb. 19 vs. Charleston
Feb. 26 at George Mason
March 4 at Harvard
March 5 at Harvard
March 9 at Loyola
March 12 vs. Ball State
March 18 vs. Penn State
March 19 vs. Saint Francis
March 23 vs. St. Francis Brooklyn
March 26 vs. NJIT
April 2 at Fairleigh Dickinson
April 9 vs. George Mason
April 15 vs. Sacred Heart
April 16 vs. Sacred Heart