DaytonDailyNews.com

Chances are that guy walking around town in University of Dayton volleyball gear is new coach Kelly Sheffield.

He said he didn't bring a lot of clothes with him when he first showed up in town. So he dons a lot of UD volleyball garb, and people stop him and ask questions.

"A lot of people know volleyball around here," Sheffield said. "So many people around here have knowledge of the program and ask what the plans are."

Coming off a 33-2 season and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA tournament, the Flyers will be led by Sheffield, who took the job when former coach Tim Horsmon was hired by Maryland.

Sheffield wanted to continue upping the ante in the nonconference portion of the 2008 schedule, which was just released.

"The out-of-conference schedule is phenomenal," he said. "I think it's loaded with teams in the running for conference championships and teams that will make the NCAA tournament and some that will advance in the NCAA tournament."

UD will face teams from the Pac-10, SEC, Big Ten, MAC, Mountain West, Big East and others. The Flyers will face five conference champs, three runners-up, nine 2007 NCAA tourney teams, two that made the second round (including Sheffield's old Albany team) and four that received votes in the final Top 25 poll.

"The team felt Michigan State was, if not the toughest team they played, they were right up there," Sheffield said of the team that ended UD's season at the Frericks Center. "(UD was) 33-1 going into that match. What you want to try to do is schedule a half-dozen type of teams like that."

Sheffield said the schedule was about half done when he took over. UD starts the season Aug. 29 in an event at Arizona State. The Flyers also play tournaments at Tennessee and Albany as well as hosting two tourneys.

"There's not one tournament that if you just show up, there's no question we should win this," he said. "Every weekend in the preconference, we'll be tested.

"We'll have to play our best each weekend to win."

UD has matches against in-state teams Cleveland State, Miami, Cincinnati and two Atlantic 10 contests against Xavier. Teams playing at UD tourneys include Northwestern, Towson, Cleveland State, Purdue, Miami and Louisville.

Sheffield gets his first taste of the Frericks Center on Sept. 2 against Eastern Illinois.

"I'm excited to experience it," he said. "I hear it's difficult to think in there."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-6951

or mgokavi@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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