2015 NAIA Volleyball National Championship Final Site Pool Play Announced
By Colbi Howser, Communications and Sports Information Intern
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – (
Schedule | Bracket) The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has released the pool assignments and schedule for the 2015 NAIA Volleyball National Championship. The 12 winners from yesterday’s National Championship Opening Round join the 11 teams that received byes and host Briar Cliff (Iowa) to form the 24-team field. Final site action will be contested for the eighth-straight year at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Matches run from Dec. 1 - 5.
The 24 programs, which start action on Dec. 1, are divided into six pools with four teams in each pool. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the single-elimination bracket starting Dec. 4. The championship match will take place on Dec. 5 at 7:00 p.m. CST and will be broadcast for the second time in NAIA volleyball history on ESPN3.
NAIANetwork.com, the NAIA’s official video-streaming home, will broadcast the first 46 matches of the national championship. The video platform, powered by Stretch Internet, will include live statistics, social media interaction and be available on mobile-friendly devices. Single-championship packages can be purchased for $20, while an all-season pass (up to 17 championships during the 2014-15 season) is available for $75. For more information and to pre-register, click
here.
The following teams all received byes to the final site: Biola (Calif.), Briar Cliff (Iowa), Columbia (Mo.), Eastern Oregon, Hastings (Neb.), Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), Midland (Neb.), Missouri Baptist, Park (Mo.), Rocky Mountain (Mont.), Vanguard (Calif.) and Viterbo (Wis.). These programs, with the exception of Briar Cliff, were the top 11 teams in the final Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll released on Sunday, Nov. 16.
Eight of the top 11 also enjoyed a bye in 2014 – Biola, Briar Cliff, Columbia, Midland, Missouri Baptist, Park, Rocky Mountain and Viterbo.
Opening Round winners from Saturday include: Coastal Georgia, College of Idaho, Dordt (Iowa), Evangel (Mo.), Georgetown (Ky.) Lourdes (Ohio), Madonna (Mich.), MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Ottawa (Kan.), and Southern Oregon.
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) and Ottawa (Kan.) were the two road wins Saturday. The Tigers faced off against a good Concordia (Neb.) team, but came away with a win. The Braves shutdown a talented Wayland Baptist squad in three sets. This is Olivet Nazarene’s 11th time making it to the final site and Ottawa’s third.
Lourdes (Ohio) (32-0) is still chasing the perfect season after a win yesterday against Trinity Christian (Ill.) in three sets. This is the Grey Wolves second time earning a spot in the National Championship.
After the Opening Round results, the Great Plains Athletic Conference has the most teams remaining in the championship with four: Briar Cliff, Dordt (Iowa), Hastings and Midland.
For more information on the 2015 NAIA Volleyball National Championship Opening Round and National Championship final site, click
here.
2015 NAIA Volleyball National Championship – Pool Play Assignments
Pool A
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Eastern Oregon
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
Briar Cliff (Iowa)
Pool B
Viterbo (Wis.)
Georgetown (Ky.)
Dordt (Iowa)
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
Pool C
Missouri Baptist
Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
College of Idaho
Ottawa (Kan.)
Pool D
Columbia (Mo.)
Hastings (Neb.)
Lourdes (Ohio)
Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio)
Pool E
Biola (Calif.)
Park (Mo.)
Evangel (Mo.)
Madonna (Mich.)
Pool F
Vanguard (Calif.)
Midland (Neb.)
Southern Oregon
Coastal Georgia
Note – Records from DakStats as of 10 a.m. CST on Nov. 22