By Nikki Sherrill, 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 2016 NAIA Volleyball National Championship. The 12 winners from the National Championship Opening Round games played on Nov. 19 will join the 19 teams that received an opening round bye and host Morningside (Iowa) to form the 32-team field. The Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa will serve as the venue for the ninth-straight national championship from Nov. 29-Dec. 3 with the championship match slotted for Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. CST and will be broadcast live on ESPN3 for the third time.
The 32 programs, which start action on Nov. 29, are divided into eight pools with four teams in each pool. This season saw the field expand to 44 teams, increasing the number of pools. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the single-elimination bracket starting Dec. 2.
The following teams all received byes to the final site: Carroll (Mont.), Columbia (Mo.), Doane (Neb.), Dordt (Neb.), Eastern Oregon, Georgetown (Ky.), Grand View (Iowa), Hastings (Neb.), Indiana Wesleyan, Jamestown (N.D.), Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), Lourdes (Ohio), MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), Midland (Neb.), Missouri Baptist, Morningside, Oklahoma City, Park (Mo.), Viterbo (Wis.) and Westmont (Calif.).
With their Opening Round victories, the following teams will join the rest of the national championship qualifiers in Sioux City – Union (Ky.), Bellevue (Neb.), Montana Tech, Madonna (Mich.), IU Kokomo (Ind.), St. Francis (Ill.), College of the Ozarks (Mo.), Coastal Georgia, Mobile (Ala.), Corban (Ore.), Biola (Calif.) and Tabor (Kan.).
The NAIA Network – the association’s official video streaming home – will broadcast all 63 matches (including 48 pool-play matches) live at the 2016 NAIA Volleyball National Championship final site in Sioux City, Iowa. The video platform, powered by Stretch Internet, allows users access to live video, statistics, and social interaction on a number of devices, including mobile. Single day passes can be purchased for $9.95, while a pool play pass is $24.95 (Nov. 29 – Dec. 2) and an all-championship package is available at $39.95. For more information and the pre-register, click here.
For more information on the 2016 NAIA Volleyball National Championship Opening Round and National Championship final site, click here.
2016 NAIA Volleyball National Championship – Pool Play Assignments
Pool A
Westmont (Calif.) (31-0)
Indiana Wesleyan (34-2)
Columbia (Mo.) (26-11)
IU Kokomo (Ind.) (27-7)
Pool B
Viterbo (Wis.) (39-2)
Doane (Neb.) (23-8)
Carroll (Mont.) (23-6)
College of the Ozarks (Mo.) (29-13)
Pool C
Hastings (Neb.) (26-3)
Missouri Baptist (28-8)
Jamestown (N.D.) (25-12)
Union (Ky.) (33-9)
Pool D
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (31-1)
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (27-7)
Biola (Calif.) (24-9)
Tabor (Kan.) (26-9)
Pool E
Midland (Neb.) (26-3)
Oklahoma City (30-3)
Bellevue (Neb.) (31-10)
Mobile (Ala.) (31-8)
Pool F
Eastern Oregon (28-2)
Georgetown (Ky.) (29-7)
Montana Tech (23-9)
Coastal Georgia (29-8)
Pool G
Park (Mo.) (32-2)
Lourdes (Ohio) (26-5)
Corban (Ore.) (23-6)
Morningside (Iowa) (19-13)
Pool H
Grand View (Iowa) (29-6)
Dordt (Iowa) (22-7)
Madonna (Mich.) (30-7)
St. Francis (Ill.) (31-11)
Note – Records from DakStats as of 10 a.m. CST on Nov. 20