INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – After finishing third in the regular season and advancing to the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament, the Anderson volleyball team has been chosen as one of five at-large selections to the 2019 Southeast Region Tournament, and has been seeded sixth in the event, as announced by the NCAA selection Committee, Monday night.
Anderson (22-7) will square off against a familiar foe in South Atlantic Conference Tournament Champion, Carson-Newman. The Eagles (25-7) finished fourth behind the Trojans in the regular season standings, but caught fire late and won 10 of its last 11 decisions en route to winning the SAC Tournament Championship and garnering the third seed.
The Trojans and Eagles have met 26 times over the past 14 seasons, with 23 of the matchups occurring since AU joined the league in 2010. The overall series, which began in 2006, is deadlocked at 13 victories apiece. AU swept this season's regular-season matchups.
Joining the Trojans and Eagles at Cuddy Arena from the SAC will be host and top-seeded Wingate (29-2) and No. 2 seed Queens (24-6). The three-day event will begin Thursday, Dec. 5. The regional semifinals will take place on Friday, Dec. 6, with the regional title match on Saturday, Dec. 7.
The Bulldogs, who received votes in the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Poll, won the SAC regular season title, but fell in four sets in the SAC quarterfinals to eventual champion Carson-Newman. Wingate will face eighth-seeded Emmanuel for the second time in as many years after the Lions earned the Conference Carolinas' automatic bid with its second straight tournament championship.
In a manner similar to Carson-Newman, Augusta (27-8) finished third in the seven-team Peach Belt Conference, but won nine of its last 10 outings and won the Peach Belt Conference Tournament title and claimed the fourth seed in the NCAA Southeast Region Tournament. The Lady Jags will square off against a familiar foe in No. 5 seed USC Aiken. The Pacers (25-5) won the PBC regular season championship but were swept by Augusta in the semifinals of the PBC Tournament semifinals.
Queens (24-6) grabbed the No. 2 seed after finishing second to Wingate in the regular season and as runners-up to Carson-Newman in the SAC Championship tilt last Saturday afternoon. The Royals will face No. 7 seed Flagler, which posted a 23-8 record and finished second in the Peach Belt Conference standings.
Anderson has reached the 20+ win plateau for the third straight year and the 11th time since the 1999 campaign, while averaging 26 wins per year over the last three seasons.
The contest will mark the third straight appearance and sixth overall by Anderson in the NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship, and the fourth since the 2014 campaign. AU also earned berths in the 2008 and 2013 NCAA Southeast Region Championships.
The winner of the regional quarterfinal contest will advance to meet the winner of the No. 2 seed Queens/No. 7 seed Flagler match in Friday's semifinal round.
2019 NCAA Southeast Region Tournament
at Wingate University (Cuddy Arena)
Thursday, Dec. 5
Game 1: #3 Carson-Newman vs. #6 Anderson, Noon
Game 2: #2 Queens vs. # 7 Flagler, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3: #4 Augusta vs. #5 USC Aiken, 5 p.m.
Game 4: #1 Wingate vs. #8 Emmanuel, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 6
Game 5: winner game 1 vs. winner game 2, 5 p.m.
Game 6: winner game 3 vs. winner game 4, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 7
(Region Championship Match)
Game 7: winner game 5 vs. winner game 6, 5 p.m.