What you need to know:
* Georgia State released its spring schedule Wednesday which includes two home events.
* The Panthers will face three teams that made it to last year's AVCA National Championships.
* GSU will play defending Champion Southern California at the Charleston Tournament March 19-20.
ATLANTA, Ga. – Coming off an appearance in the AVCA National Championships, Georgia State's beach volleyball team gears up for a tough 2016 schedule, which was announced by GSU Athletics on Wednesday.
The Panthers open their first season as members of the newly formed Coastal Collegiate Sports Association a fellow CCSA member FAU's March 5 tournament. Georgia State will meet North Florida and Webber along with the host Owls.
Following the opening weekend, Georgia State will host the first of two home events. Diggin' Duals at GSU will be held at the GSU Sand Courts next to the Sports Arena on March 9 and will feature Mercer and school to be determined. GSU's second home-event is slated for March 25-26 and will include UL Monroe, Eckerd, UNCW, and Lincoln-Memorial.
Georgia State is slated to face Pepperdine at the College of Charleston Tournament on March 19-20. The Panthers and Waves last met in the first round of the 2015 AVCA National Championships with the Waves winning the matchup. Other tournament teams on GSU's schedule are Florida State, FIU and Southern California. It will be the second time the Panthers will face a defending national champion (USC) in the regular season.
Georgia State wraps up the season at the CCSA Championships which will be hosted just north of Atlanta at Lakepoint Sporting Community in Emerson, Ga. April 22-24. Should the Panthers repeat and advance to the Gulf Shores, Ala., for the second season in a row, they will compete for the title May 13-15.
Follow along with Georgia State on Twitter (@GSUBeachVB) for the latest news.
