Field of Eight Set for 2010 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship

CHAMPIONSHIP SITE | TICKET INFO

St. Louis, Mo., November 14, 2010 – The field of eight teams is set for the 2010 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship, to be hosted Friday-Sunday, Nov. 19-21, at the Washington University Field House on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis in St. Louis, Mo.

The single elimination tournament will get underway on Friday, Nov. 19, with four quarterfinals matchups starting at 12:30 p.m. The semifinals will follow on Saturday and the national championship match is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 21, at 5 p.m.

No. 12 University of St. Thomas will face No. 3 Juniata College in the first national quarterfinal on Friday at 12:30 p.m. No. 10 Calvin College faces No. 24 University of Massachusetts-Boston at 3 p.m., No. 1 Emory University faces No. 5 Christopher Newport University at 5:30 p.m., and No. 3 Washington University in St. Louis will play No. 15 New York at 8 p.m.

Tickets will be on sale at the Washington University box office beginning an hour and a half prior to the start of the first match each day. Single session all-day passes will cost $8 for adults and $5 for students. All session passes, which are good for all three days of the tournament, cost $20 for adults and $12 for students. Advance tickets may be purchased beginning Monday, Nov. 15, at the Washington University Athletic Complex between 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

St. Thomas advanced to the national quarterfinals for the first time in school history with a 3-0 victory over St. Olaf College on Sunday. The Tommies were an at-large selection to the 2010 tournament field out of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and are 31-6 overall.

Juniata College has won two national titles and was the national runner-up in 2009. The Eagles are 33-5 overall this season and defeated Frostburg State University, 3-0, to win the Middle Atlantic regional. Juniata won the Landmark Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and is the only team to advance to the NCAA quarterfinals during every season.

Calvin College returns to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time since 1992, which was also the last time the event was held at Washington University. The Knights upset No. 2 Wittenberg University, 3-1, to capture the regional championship. An at-large selection from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), Calvin is 29-4 this season.

The University of Massachusetts-Boston joins St. Thomas as a first-time competitor in the NCAA quarterfinals. The Beacons defeated Springfield College, 3-2, in Sunday’s regional final. Massachusetts-Boston won the Little East Conference in 2010 and boasts a 30-4 overall record.

Emory University returns to the NCAA Championship site after a one-year absence. The Eagles won their first national championship in 2008, and defeated Cal Lutheran in five sets on Sunday to earn another trip to the NCAA quarterfinals. Emory won the University Athletic Association (UAA) title and is 33-4 overall.

Christopher Newport survived a five-set thriller against Randolph-Macon to capture its second-straight regional title. The Captains won the USA South Athletic Conference and are 38-2 overall this season. Christopher Newport was making its first ever appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals in 2009.

New York University also needed five sets to advance out of regional play, defeating Stevens Institute of Technology on Sunday in New York, N.Y. The Violets are back in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005 and finished as the national runner-up in 2003. New York is one of three UAA teams in the quarterfinals and is 38-5 overall.

Washington University is the defending NCAA national champion and is appearing in the NCAA quarterfinals for the 21st time in school history. The Bears swept No. 14 University of Wisconsin-Platteville on Sunday in Kenosha, Wis. Also from the UAA, Washington U. is 34-3 overall this season and has won an NCAA record 10 national championships.

Washington University has been selected to host the 2010 and 2011 NCAA Division III volleyball championship. It is the first time the University will host the championship rounds since a string of four straight years from 1989-1992. Washington U. has hosted six NCAA Division III championships overall, also serving as the host site for the 1985 men’s soccer, and 2007 men’s tennis national championships.