A total of 15 matches against teams that advanced to the 2006 NCAA Tournament are part of the 2007 Kansas University volleyball schedule announced Wednesday by coach Ray Bechard.

Those nonconference Kansas opponents who advanced to last year’s NCAA Tournament include Michigan State, Missouri State and Oregon, while Big 12 foes Colorado, Iowa State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas also are on the KU schedule for 2007. Nebraska won the 2006 NCAA Division I championship.

Kansas will open the season at the Oregon Invitational on Aug. 24-25. Besides Pac-10 foe Oregon, the Jayhawks will face Cal State-Bakersfield and Idaho State in Eugene, Ore. The competition doesn’t get any easier for KU the following weekend as the Jayhawks head to East Lansing, Mich., and compete at the Spartan Invitational. Besides host Michigan State, Kansas will play Missouri State and Florida State.

“Opening up at Oregon, one of the top teams in one of the toughest conferences, will be a great way to get started,” said Bechard, who enters his 10th season at KU with a 148-127 record. “Michigan State and Missouri State were both NCAA Tournament teams last year, and Florida State is out of the ACC, another tough league.”

KU begins its 14-game home schedule Sept. 4 against UMKC in the Horejsi Family Athletic Center. That weekend, Sept. 7-8, Kansas will play host to the Jayhawk Invitational with contests against St. Peters, Wyoming and Morehead State.

Under Bechard, Kansas is 22-6 in home tournaments with six titles, including each of the last three seasons.

“Our own tournament also has a strong field with Wyoming of the Mountain West and Morehead State of the Ohio Valley each being conference contenders,” Bechard said. “This nonconference schedule will be a great way to get ready for league play.”

Big 12 competition starts Sept. 12 with a home contest against Kansas State in Horejsi. Other home matches in conference play include Texas Tech (Sept. 22), Nebraska (Sept. 26), Texas A&M (Oct. 6), Colorado (Oct. 10), Baylor (Oct. 17), Missouri (Oct. 27), Oklahoma (Nov. 3), Texas (Nov. 7) and Iowa State (Nov. 17).

“I think from top to bottom the Big 12 is very solid. We say that every year and the league’s history in the NCAA Tournament shows that. It will be quite a challenge,” Bechard said.

Kansas has advanced to the NCAA Tournament three of the last four seasons and looks to improve on its 10-19 record (3-17 Big 12) from 2006.