MANHATTAN, Kan. After registering its 10^th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and seventh straight 20-win season in 2005, Kansas State volleyball has set its fall schedule for the 2006 season. The Wildcats will face two NCAA Final Four teams nine teams that reached the 2005 NCAA Tournament and six teams ranked in the final CSTV/AVCA Coaches Poll.

Kansas State will open the 2006 season at the Fresno State Invitational, Aug. 25-27. K-State begins the tournament with the host Bulldogs at 5 p.m. (PDT). The Wildcats will then face 2005 NCAA Final Four participant Santa Clara on Aug. 26 at 4 p.m. (PDT). The Broncos finished the 2005 season ranked No. 4 in the final CSTV/AVCA Coaches Poll after falling in the national semifinals to national runner-up, Nebraska. K-State concludes action in Fresno with the University of Pacific on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. (PDT).

The Wildcats make their Manhattan debut on Sept. 1-2 in the Varney’s Kansas State Invitational. K-State will host Wichita State in its opening match in Ahearn Field House. The Shockers finished 2005 with a 28-3 record and ranked No. 25 in the final coaches’ poll, but were not selected to the NCAA Tournament by the selection committee. This is the first match between the schools since the 2004 season when K-State defeated Wichita State, 3-1 in Manhattan. K-State is 35-15 against the Shockers and has won seven of the last eight meetings.

K-State also welcomes Lipscomb to Ahearn on Sept. 2 at 12:30 p.m. and completes play in the Varney’s Kansas State Invitational with the Bobcats of Montana State at 7:30 p.m. The Wildcats are 66-14-5 in 19 seasons of hosting some form of the Kansas State Invitational since the 1977 season.

Kansas State ushers in Drake for its only mid-week non-conference match of 2006. The Wildcats will face the Bulldogs on Sept. 6 at 6 p.m.

K-State will play its third Missouri Valley Conference opponent of 2006, as the team travels to the Northern Iowa Tournament, Sept. 8-9. The Wildcats play the host Panthers in the opener at 7:30 p.m.

K-State will then match-up against 2005 NCAA “Sweet 16” participant Notre Dame at 10 a.m. The Fighting Irish finished the 2005 season with a 30-4 record and ranked No. 12 in the final coaches’ poll. Kansas State finishes play in Cedar Falls against Alabama at 5 p.m. The Crimson Tide finished 2005 with a 23-11 mark and reached the 2005 NCAA Tournament, but were defeated by Ohio in the first round.

The Wildcats open Big 12 Conference action on the road for the third straight season, as they travel to Waco, Texas to face Baylor on Wednesday, Sept. 13. K-State makes its Big 12 home debut on Wednesday, Sept. 20 to face 2005 NCAA “Elite Eight” participant Missouri at 7 p.m.

The first half of the Big 12 home schedule includes visits from Iowa State (Sept. 27), 2005 NCAA Tournament participant Colorado (Oct. 7), Oklahoma (Oct. 14) and Texas Tech (Oct. 18). The second half Big 12 home slate for K-State includes national runner-up and defending Big 12 champion Nebraska (Oct. 28), 2005 NCAA Tournament team Texas A&M (Nov. 4), Baylor (Nov. 8), 2005 NCAA Tournament participant Texas (Nov. 15). The Wildcats will finish Big 12 play with Sunflower State rival Kansas on Nov. 25.