INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) will send three teams to the 2017 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship. Interactive Bracket
The NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Committee announced the field of 64 teams today for the 2017 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship, and the SCAC champion, Colorado College will be joined by Trinity University and Southwestern University, both of which earned at-large bids.
This marks the 13th consecutive season (2005-Present) and 17th overall time that the SCAC has placed at least two teams into NCAA volleyball postseason competition. It is the third time since 2013 that the league has had three teams in the tournament.
SCAC tournament champion and AVCA top-ranked Colorado College (31-1) earned the title over the weekend, while fifth-ranked Trinity University (27-7) came in second and second-ranked Southwestern University (29-5) finished in third place.
If the American Volleyball Coaches Assocation rankings hold, it will mark just the second time since the AVCA weekly rankings began in 1992 that a single conference has sent three teams into the NCAA tournament ranked in the top five in the nation. The previous time, 2005, the UAA had Emory as No. 1, Washington (Mo.) as No. 3 and NYU as No. 4 entering the national tournament. That year, all three UAA teams were sent to different regionals but the SCAC threesome will all head to Georgetown as Southwestern plays the role of regional host.
Colorado College will face The College of New Rochelle (20-10) in the first round. The winner of that match will go up against the winner of the match between Pacific Lutheran University (20-4) and SCAC-foe Trinity University.
Regional host Southwestern will begin the tournament with Whittier College (18-9).
With the bracket design, and if the teams continue to advance, there is the potential for an all-SCAC region final.
This is the 19th straight tournament appearance for Colorado College and 27th overall. Only three schools have more Division III tournament appearances than CC. For Southwestern, this will the school's 15th trip to the NCAA Tournament and 13th in the last 14 years. This will be Trinity's 23rd tournament appearance and fifth in the last six years.
Regional competition will be Friday-Sunday, November 10-12.