The UMSL Tritons are 19-8 heading into this year’s NCAA D2 National Volleyball Tournament. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Nora Nichols
Staff Writer
The University of Missouri-St. Louis women’s volleyball team received the news it hoped it would get on Monday.
The Tritons were named as one of the 64 teams to earn a berth in the 2024 NCAA Division II National Volleyball Tournament.
UMSL, which concluded the regular season with a 19-8 record and was ranked No. 25 in the country, received its fifth straight national championship tournament bid and eighth overall as a program.
The Tritons were named the No. 8 seed in the Midwest Region, where they will play top-seeded and regional host, Ferris State, in a first-round game on Thursday, December 5 in Big Rapids, Mich.
The winner of that match would advance to the second round to play either No. 4 seed Lewis or No. 5 seed Rockhurst for the chance to advance to the Sweet 16. Lewis and Rockhurst just met last weekend in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship, which Lewis won to earn its fourth straight GLVC title.
In the last two seasons, UMSL went on to win the regional to advance to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight. The Tritons defeated Ferris State in the regional championship game both times.
The UMSL Tritons won the Midwest Regional championship the last two years. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Other first round matches include No. 3 seed Hillsdale taking on No. 6 Findlay and No. 7 Quincy facing No. 2 Grand Valley State.
The second round matchups, also known as the regional semifinals will be on December 6, with the championship match scheduled for December 7.
The eight regional champions will advance to the national championships, which will be played at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., December 12-14.
2024 NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL — MIDWEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
| FIRST ROUND – Thursday, December 5 Ewigleben Sports Arena — Big Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|
| Match 1: No. 3 Hillsdale vs. #6 Findlay — 11 am | |
| Match 2: No. 2 Grand Valley State vs. #7 Quincy — 1:30 pm | |
| Match 3: No. 1 Ferris State vs. #8 UMSL — 4:30 pm | |
| Match 4: No. 4 Lewis vs. #5 Rockhurst — 7 pm | |
| SEMIFINALS – Friday, December 6 Ewigleben Sports Arena — Big Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|
| Match 5: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2 — 4 pm | |
| Match 6: Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 4 — 7 pm | |
| CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Saturday, December 7 Ewigleben Sports Arena — Big Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|
| Match 7: Winner of Match 5 vs. Winner of Match 6 — 6 pm | |