The University of Minnesota volleyball team is the No. 12 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament and will host Stanford, Iowa State and South Dakota in a regional this weekend at Maturi Pavilion. ((credit: University of Minnesota Athletics))
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota volleyball team will host a first and second round regional after receiving the No. 12 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament Sunday night.
The Gophers will host a regional that includes Stanford, Iowa State and South Dakota. Stanford and Iowa State will play at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Maturi Pavilion, with the Gophers and South Dakota to follow. The two winners will play at 7 p.m. Saturday.
If Minnesota advances, it would travel to the Wisconsin regional Dec. 9-11.
This year marks the Gophers’ 26th appearance in the NCA Tournament, including seven straight and nine of the last 10 seasons under Hugh McCutcheon. The Gophers have also had a top-16 seed in each of the last six seasons.
The Gophers are one of eight Big Ten teams in the NCAA Tournament, along with No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 6 Purdue, No. 9 Ohio State, No. 10 Nebraska, Michigan, Penn State and Illinois. Minnesota’s regular season schedule included 13 teams that ended up in the 64-team field.
The Gophers enter the NCAA tournament with a 20-8 record, including a 15-5 mark in Big Ten play, tying for third in the conference with Ohio State and Purdue. Wisconsin (17-3) finished first, followed by Nebraska (16-4) in second place.
The Gophers have won two straight and nine of their last 11 entering the postseason.