Arkansas Tech University is going to the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament for the first time in 11 years and for just the second time in school history.
The seventh-seeded Golden Suns (35-3) will face second-seeded Washburn University (30-2) in the first round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, at Warrensburg, Mo.
Arkansas Tech learned that it would receive an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament during a webcast at www.ncaa.com on Sunday night.
The Golden Suns won the inaugural Great American Conference Volleyball Tournament championship with a five-set victory over Harding on Saturday, but the GAC champion did not receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament in its first year like it will in future years.
That meant that Arkansas Tech had to sweat its NCAA Tournament fate until its name appeared in the bracket at 9:14 p.m. Sunday night.
Other first-round matches in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional on Thursday will pit top-seeded Central Missouri against No. 8 seed Abilene Christian at 7:30 p.m.; fourth-seeded St. Edward’s against fifth-seeded Angelo State at 5 p.m.; and No. 3 seed West Texas A&M against No. 6 seed Arkansas-Fort Smith at noon.
First-round winners will advance to the regional semifinals on Friday, Nov. 18, and the regional championship match is set for Saturday, Nov. 19.
The champion of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional will advance to the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals on Dec. 1.
Click here to view the complete bracket for the 2011 NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament.
Click here to read more about the Golden Suns’ win in the GAC Tournament championship match.
Click here to learn more about Arkansas Tech volleyball.
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