Kearney, Neb. – The 12th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team is in the NCAA Tournament for a 22nd straight season and will battle MIAA rival and No. 4 Northwest Missouri State in the first round of the Central Regional on Thursday, December 2nd, in Warrensburg, Mo.
The 64-team NCAA Tournament field — eight schools from each of D2 II’s eight regions — was announced tonight. The complete bracket is available HERE with the complete regional schedule below.
The sixth-seeded Lopers (25-6) and third-seeded Bearcats (26-5) will be meeting for the third time this fall. Northwest won in four sets in the H&S Center on Oct. 1 with the Lopers sweeping the ‘Cats in Maryville on Oct. 30. UNK leads the all-time series between the two, 23-3. First serve time is TBA.
The UNK/NW winner takes on either St. Cloud State or nine-time national champion Concordia-St. Paul. The eight region winners advance to the Elite Eight, held this year December 9-11 in Tampa.
UNK is 32-24 all-time in the NCAA’s, advancing to the Elite Eight in 2019, 2005, 2004, 2003, 1996 and 1995. The Lopers were National Runners up in 2019 and 2005. Finally, the 22-year NCAA run trails only the University of Tampa as the Spartans have made the “Big Dance” the past 25 years.
