Independent file photo Members of the SMSU volleyball team celebrate after scoring a point during their NSIC Tournament match against Upper Iowa University on Nov. 15. The Mustangs earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Central Region Tournament and will face Arkansas Tech in the opening round.

INDIANAPOLIS – For the second time in school history, the Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball program will host the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament, which will be held Nov. 30, Dec. 1 and Dec. 2. The NCAA Division II volleyball national committee announced the 64-team tournament field Monday with SMSU earning the region’s No. 1 seed.

The eight-team region tournament will be held at the PE Gym on the campus of SMSU with the quarterfinals set for Thursday, Nov. 30, the semifinals on Friday, Dec. 1 and the championship match on Saturday, Dec. 2. Match times will be announced today.

The winner of the tournament will advance to the Division II Elite Eight held on Dec. 7-9 in Pensacola, Florida, on the campus of the University of West Florida.

Southwest Minnesota State (26-3), ranked No. 2 in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll released on Monday, will be making its 14th straight NCAA tournament appearance and 15th overall in program history. SMSU last hosted the Central Region Tournament in 2010.

SMSU will square off with No. 8 seed Arkansas Tech (35-0) in the quarterfinals on Thursday. The winner of the SMSU/ATU match will play the winner of No. 4 seed Northern State (23-6) and No. 5 seed Minnesota Duluth (24-6). On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 seed and defending NCAA national champion Concordia-St. Paul (28-3) will face off against No. 7 seed Central Oklahoma (29-5), while No. 3 seed Nebraska-Kearney (33-3) will battle No. 6 seed Missouri Western State (24-10).

The semifinals will take place on Friday, Dec. 1, with the championship scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 2.

Ticket prices for the tournament are $8 for adult general admission and $5 for student general admission. Children 5-and-under are free. For more tournament information, go to SMSUmustangs.com.

NCAA Central Region

Tournament

*All matches will be held at the PE Gym in Marshall.

Match times announced today.

Thursday, Nov. 30

No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul vs. No. 7 Central Oklahoma

No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney vs.

No. 6 Missouri Western State

No. 4 Northern State vs.

No. 5 Minnesota Duluth

No. 1 Southwest Minnesota State vs.

No. 8 Arkansas Tech

Friday, Dec. 1 – Semifinal matches

Saturday, Dec. 2 – Championship Match

Content courtesy of

SMSU Athletic

Communications