The 31-match schedule includes seven home matches and a full 12-game Great West Conference schedule.

"The schedule offers an opportunity to play some quality mid-major Division I opponents," Houk said. "This gives us an opportunity to test ourselves against that level of competition."

USD opens play at the Northern Illinois tournament on Aug. 27-28, where the Coyotes will play matches against the College of Charleston, Oakland, Chicago State and Northern Illinois.

USD will follow that with a match at Big 12 Conference power Kansas State at Sept. 1 before heading to Colorado for the Northern Colorado tournament on Sept. 3-4. USD will square off against Fairfield, Northern Colorado, Missouri-Kansas City and Georgia at the event.

The Coyotes will continue their busy nonconference schedule at the Drake Invitational on Sept. 10-11. USD will battle Idaho State, Stephen F. Austin, Drake and UW-Green Bay at the tournament.

USD's final pre-conference tournament will be on Sept. 17-18 at the North Dakota State tournament in Fargo, N.D. The Coyotes will face North Dakota in a nonconference match to open play, and then follow by renewing their rivalry with South Dakota State in the first meeting between the schools since Oct. 25, 2003. USD will conclude play at the event against Tulsa.

The Coyotes' Great West Conference - and home -- opener is set for Sept. 25 against North Dakota. USD will play home-and-home matchups against North Dakota, Chicago State, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Houston Baptist, Texas-Pan American and Utah Valley in conference play.

USD has two nonconference matchups sprinkled in during conference play. The Coyotes will play host to Morningside College on Oct. 18 and play at South Dakota State on Nov. 2.

The Great West Championship is set for Nov. 18-20 in Chicago, Ill.

USD is coming off of a season where the Coyotes finished 13-17 overall and 6-6 in the Great West Conference. Houk will be entering his third season as USD's head coach in 2010.

Date Opponent Location Time Aug. 27-28 Northern Illinois Tournament Dekalb, Ill. Aug. 27 vs. College of Charleston Dekalb, Ill. 10 a.m. Aug. 27 vs. Oakland Dekalb, Ill. 2 p.m. Aug. 28 vs. Chicago State Dekalb, Ill. 10 a.m. Aug. 28 vs. Northern Illinois Dekalb, Ill. 2 p.m. Sept. 1 at Kansas State Manhattan, Kan. 7 p.m. Sept. 3-4 at Northern Colorado Tournament Greeley, Colo. Sept. 3 vs. Fairfield Greeley, Colo. 11:30 a.m. Sept. 3 vs. Northern Colorado Greeley, Colo. 7 p.m. Sept. 4 vs. UMKC Greeley, Colo. 9 a.m. Sept. 4 vs. Georgia Greeley, Colo. 4:30 p.m. Sept. 10-11 at Drake University Tourament Des Moines, Iowa Sept. 10 vs. Idaho State Des Moines, Iowa Noon Sept. 10 vs. Stephen F. Austin Des Moines, Iowa 5 p.m. Sept. 11 at Drake Des Moines, Iowa Noon Sept. 11 vs. UW-Green Bay Des Moines, Iowa 5 p.m. Sept. 17-18 at NDSU Tournament Fargo, N.D. Sept. 17 vs. North Dakota Fargo, N.D. 4:30 p.m. Sept. 18 vs. Tulsa Fargo, N.D. 10 a.m. Sept. 18 vs. South Dakota State Fargo, N.D. 7 p.m. Sept. 25 North Dakota* Vermillion, S.D. 5 p.m. Sept. 30 Utah Valley* Vermillion, S.D. 7 p.m. Oct. 7 Houston Baptist* Vermillion, S.D. 7 p.m. Oct. 8 Texas-Pan American* Vermillion, S.D. 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at North Dakota* Grand Forks, N.D. 7 p.m. Oct. 18 Morningside Vermillion, S.D. 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at Chicago State* Chicago, Ill. 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at NJIT* Newark, N.J. 1 p.m. Oct. 28 at Utah Valley* Orem, Utah 7 p.m. Nov. 2 at South Dakota State Brookings, S.D. 7 p.m. Nov. 4 NJIT* Vermillion, S.D. 7 p.m. Nov. 5 Chicago State* Vermillion, S.D. 7 p.m. Nov. 11 at Texas-Pan American* Edinburg, Texas 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at Houston Baptist* Houston, Texas 1 p.m. Nov. 18-20 Great West Championship Chicago, Ill. TBA *Great West Conference game All times Central and subject to change.