LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - The SCAC office today released the championship bracket for the 2017 conference volleyball tournament, which will be played Friday-Saturday, November 3-4 in Kerrville, Texas on the campus of Schreiner University. Complete Bracket
In addition to deciding who will receive the league's automatic berth into the 2017 NCAA Volleyball Championship, this year's tournament takes on the added historical note of featuring three of the nation's top five teams, according to the most recent AVCA Division III Volleyball Top 25 Coaches Poll.
Colorado College is currently ranked second in the nation, followed by Southwestern at third and Trinity at fifth.
After sweeping its four cross-divisional matches this weekend at Centenary College, Colorado College (14-0; 26-1 overall) earned the top seed in the SCAC tournament for the fourth time in program history and first since 2015. Under head coach Rick Swan, the Tigers have won three SCAC volleyball titles, but are seeking their first championship since 2012.
Defending SCAC champion Trinity University (11-3; 23-6 overall) will be the No. 2 seed. The Tigers won the tiebreaker for the second seed over Southwestern University due to a better game differential in head-to-head competition this year. The two split their two matches with Trinity winning on Southwestern's home floor, 3-1, on Sept. 22 and Southwestern returning the favor with a 3-2 victory on Trinity's home floor on Oct. 14.
Led by head coach Julie Jenkins, the winningest active coach in all of Division III, Trinity is aiming for its record 12th SCAC volleyball tournamet title and 19th overall championship. There was no SCAC postseason volleyball tournament from 2000-2006.
Coming off a historic season where the program advanced all the way to the NCAA Division III Final Four under then first-year head coach Don Flora, Southwestern (11-3; 25-4 overall) is seeking its second SCAC volleyball tournament title in three years and fifth overall.
Rounding out the seeds are No. 4 Texas Lutheran University (8-6; 16-12 overall), No. 5 Austin College (6-8; 20-11 overall) and No. 6 Centenary College (4-10; 13-16 overall).
More information about the 2017 SCAC Volleyball Tournament can be found on the official championship website.