NCAA DII VB Championship Bracket (Interactive)
INDIANAPOLIS – Cedarville will represent the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship Midwest Regional against a familiar foe in Findlay following Monday’s selection show.
A total of 64 teams comprise this year’s national tournament bracket as the Yellow Jackets (26-8 overall) officially won their fourth G-MAC Championship in five years on Saturday following the conference tournament.
Eight teams from eight regions will be competing in this year’s tournament. Wheeling Jesuit University is the reigning national champion from the 2015 campaign.
Cedarville drew the No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region and will face No. 2 seed Findlay on Thursday, December 1. The time is set for a noon (12 p.m. EST) start.
The Yellow Jackets will be traveling to Big Rapids, Mich., home to Ferris State University, the regional’s top seed and host site.
Findlay (21-9 overall) is one of five institutions joining the G-MAC for the 2017-18 academic year. The Oilers will be joined by Hillsdale College, Lake Erie College, Ohio Dominican University and Walsh University.
Cedarville and Findlay have already tangled twice against each other this season, a season split the outcome between both talented programs.
The Yellow Jackets prevailed in four sets at home in the cozy Callan Athletic Center in front of 1,047 fans while the Oilers got redemption in Croy Gymnasium with a four-set victory.
Both Cedarville and Findlay competed in the Mizuno Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover Tournament this year as well.
Cedarville’s run through the G-MAC Championship bracket as the top seed and regular-season champion included a semifinal win against No. 2 Malone and the five-set victory in the final against No. 1 Black seed Davis & Elkins.
The Yellow Jackets had a total of seven all-conference selections on this year’s roster, including four on the first team.
Cedarville also claimed the G-MAC Player of the Year with junior middle Gabby Olson and G-MAC Coach of the Year in Doug Walters as he led his program to a 9-1 record in league matches.
Cedarville is just the second team in conference history to play in the NCAA DII Volleyball Championship after Trevecca Nazarene represented the league as the No. 8 seed in 2015.