ANGOLA, Ind. -- The Trine volleyball team has finalized its 2017 schedule, the team announced today.

Included on the 2017 schedule are five matchups against NCAA Division III Volleyball Tournament participants. The Thunder will face defending Heartland Collegiate Athletic Association champion Bluffton, which won one NCAA Tournament match. In MIAA play, Trine will play to defending National Champion Calvin and postseason participant Hope. The Thunder will also travel to face each team as part of the conference schedule.

Trine opens its season in tournament action at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Ill. Sep. 1-2. The Thunder will face MacMurray, Anderson (Ind.) and Fontbonne in addition to the tournament host. Illinois College owned the best record of the trio of opponents last season at 15-12.

Non-conference matches also include tournament action at Bluffton (Sep. 15-16) and North Central (Oct. 13-14). The Bluffton tournament also features matchups against Marietta and Allegheny. North Central's Tiffany Robinson Tournament also includes matches against Nebraska Wesleyan and Central (Iowa).

MIAA play opens with a home match against Hope Wednesday, Sep. 6. The conference slate once again includes two matchups against every MIAA foe, one at home and one away. Trine's schedule sets up favorably down the final stretch of the season with four of its last six MIAA matches coming in Hershey Hall.

The Thunder will be looking to take a step forward after a young roster finished with a 3-26 record last year. The team projects to return its top six leaders in kills per set.

The complete schedule is listed below. The schedule can also be accessed HERE.

! - denotes Illinois College Tournament, Jacksonville, Ill.
* - denotes MIAA match
# - denotes Bluffton Invitational, Bluffton, Ohio
^ - denotes Tiffany Robinson Tournament, Naperville, Ill.
BOLD - denotes home event
All times listed as EST/EDT.