The Elon University volleyball team will play teams from the Big Ten, Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference — including one at home — as part of its 2014 schedule, which the team announced Thursday.

Elon's first year in the Colonial Athletic Association will begin with possibly the most challenging nonconference slate in recent memory. To open the year, the Phoenix plays host to the University of Maryland as part of the Phoenix Classic. Also coming to Alumni Gym Aug. 29-30 are San Jose State and Liberty University.

Other tournaments Elon will compete in are Kennesaw State University's KSU Owls Invitational, Campbell University's Campbell Tournament and Wake Forest University's Wake Forest Tournament.

At Kennesaw State, Elon will face the Owls, the University of North Carolina at Asheville and Purdue University of the Big Ten. Last year's National Championship featured two teams from the always-competitive Big Ten.

Others competing at the Campbell Tournament are the University of North Florida and the University of South Carolina of the SEC. At the Wake Forest Tournament, Elon will square off with former Southern Conference foe Western Carolina along with Winthrop University.

Elon hosts High Point University and North Carolina A&T State University in nonconference play, while going on the road to face North Carolina Central University and old SoCon foe and I-40 rival the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Elon's first CAA game will be at home against Hofstra University Sept. 26. In CAA action, Elon will play home-and-homes with all eight league members. The regular season ends with a four-game road trip, concluding Nov. 17 at Towson University.

The CAA Championships will be hosted by the regular season champion and played Nov. 21-24.

Elon volleyball 2014 schedule

Elon Phoenix Classic

Aug. 29 — vs. Maryland | 7 p.m.

Aug. 30 — vs. San Jose State | 12:30 p.m.

Aug. 30 — vs. Liberty | 7 p.m.

KSU Owls Invitational

Sept. 5 — at Kennesaw State | 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 6 — vs. Purdue^ | 10 a.m.

Sept. 6 — vs. UNC Asheville | 5 p.m.

Sept. 10 — vs. High Point | 7 p.m.

Campbell Tournament

Sept. 12 — vs. North Florida^ | 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 13 — vs. South Carolina^ | 10 a.m.

Sept. 13 — at Campbell | 7 p.m.

Sept. 17 — vs. North Carolina A&T | 7 p.m.

Wake Forest Tournament

Sept. 19 — vs. Western Carolina^ | 5 p.m.

Sept. 20 — vs. Winthrop^ | 11 a.m.

Sept. 20 — at Wake Forest | 7 p.m.

Sept. 23 — at North Carolina Central | 7 p.m.

Sept. 26 — vs. Hofstra* | 7 p.m.

Sept. 28 — vs. Northeastern* | 2 p.m.

Oct. 2 — at James Madison* | 7 p.m.

Oct. 4 — at William & Mary* | 7 p.m.

Oct. 7 — at UNCG | 7 p.m.

Oct. 11 — vs. UNC Wilmington* | 7 p.m.

Oct. 16 — vs. Towson* | 7 p.m.

Oct. 18 — vs. Delaware* | 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 — vs. College of Charleston* | 3 p.m.

Oct. 24 — at Northeastern* | 7 p.m.

Oct. 26 — at Hofstra* | 1 p.m.

Oct. 31 — vs. William & Mary* | 7 p.m.

Nov. 2 — vs. James Madison* | 2 p.m.

Nov. 5 — at UNC Wilmington* | 7 p.m.

Nov. 8 — at College of Charleston* | 5 p.m.

Nov. 14 — at Delaware* | 7 p.m.

Nov. 15 — at Towson* | 7 p.m.

Nov. 21-24 — CAA Championships* | TBD

^ denotes neutral site

* denotes CAA game