EOU, SOU and CI Head to Volleyball Championship Final Site
By Colbi Howser, Communications and Sports Information Intern
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Schedule | Press Book) The 36th installment of the NAIA Volleyball National Championship is scheduled for Dec. 1 - 5 at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. The City of Sioux City is hosting the event for the eighth-straight season.
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 delivered for the second time in NAIA volleyball history on ESPN3.
NAIANetwork.com, the NAIA’s official video-streaming home, will the first 46 matches of the national championship will be streamed on www.NAIANetwork.com. Single day passes can be purchased for $9.95, while a pool play pass is $24.95 (Dec. 1 – 3) and an all-championship package is available at $34.95, while an all-season pass (up to 17 championships during the 2015-16 season) is available for $75. For more information and to pre-register, click here.
The 24-team field consists of the top 11 teams in the final Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll (released Nov. 15), the 12 National Championship Opening Round winners and host Briar Cliff (Iowa).
Defending national champion Park (Mo.), along with Biola (Calif.), Briar Cliff, Columbia (Mo.), Eastern Oregon, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), Midland (Neb.), Missouri Baptist, Rocky Mountain (Mont.), Vanguard (Calif.) and Viterbo (Wis.). earned Opening Round byes. Briar Cliff was the only team not ranked in the top 11.
Seven of the top 11 also enjoyed a bye in 2014 – Biola, Columbia, Midland, Missouri Baptist, Park, Rocky Mountain and Viterbo.
Opening Round winners from Nov. 21 include: Coastal Georgia, College of Idaho, Dordt (Iowa), Evangel (Mo.), Georgetown (Ky.), Lourdes (Ohio), Madonna (Mich.), MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), Mt. Vernon Nazarene (Ohio), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Ottawa (Kan.) and Southern Oregon.
Defending national champion Park (Mo.), who enters the event ranked No. 8, carries a 24-8 record into the championship after receiving an at-large berth into the championship. The Pirates to become the first program to win back-to-back championships since former-member Fresno Pacific (Calif.) won four-straight from 2007 – 2010.
Lourdes (Ohio) (32-0) is still chasing the perfect season after an Opening Round win Nov. 21 against Trinity Christian (Ill.) in three sets. This is the Gray Wolves second time earning a spot in the national championship.
Columbia is the most decorated team among the field with 22 appearances, 81 wins and three national banners. The Cougars, whose most recent banner came in 2001, failed to advance out of pool play last season after losing all three pool play matches for the first time in program history.
There are no newcomers to the final site this year. Three teams are making their second appearance in Sioux City, including Mount Vernon Nazarene, Lourdes and Eastern Oregon. Mount Vernon Nazarene has not seen national championship action since 2007. Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference champion Lourdes is back after missing the cut in 2014. Eastern Oregon is back from last year looking to keep up their winning record in the tournament (4-2).
Six teams have appeared in the national championship 10-or-more times (including this year’s national championship) – Biola (15), College of Idaho (11), Georgetown (18), Madonna (15), and Olivet Nazarene (Ill.).
The Great Plains Athletic Conference has the most teams headed to Sioux City with four: Briar Cliff, Dordt, Hastings and Midland.
For more information on the 2015 NAIA Volleyball National Championship Opening Round and National Championship final site, click here.