University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota to Host NCAA Tournament
12/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
The Minnesota volleyball team (26-6) will host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament on Dec. 5-6 at the Sports Pavilion.
It marks the first time since 2003 that the Golden Gophers were selected to host the NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds. The last time Minnesota hosted an NCAA Tournament match was in 2004 when it played host to the NCAA Regional round.
Minnesota will face North Dakota State on Friday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m., and Northern Iowa will face Iowa State in the other first round matchup at 5 p.m. The winners of the two matches will face each other in the second round on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.
All Session tickets are on sale for $20 for chairbacks, $17 for general admission and $12 for senior or student rates. Tickets can be purchased in person starting on the morning of Monday, Dec. 1, over the phone at 1-800-UGOPHER or online at gophersports.com.
The Golden Gophers were awarded the overall No. 6 seed in the tournament, and the second seed in the Austin Region. Texas, who is the No. 3 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, will host the NCAA Regional round. Oregon is the No. 11 overall seed (No. 3 in the region) and UCLA is No. 14 (No. 4 in the region).
Minnesota’s No. 6 overall seed in the tournament is its second-highest in school-history, and the best since the Golden Gophers were seeded No. 4 in 2004. It marks the fourth time in seven years that Minnesota has received a top-eight seed in the tournament. Minnesota was a No. 7 seed in 2002 and a No. 8 seed in 2006.
“We are very excited to be hosting the first and second rounds at the Sports Pavilion again,” said Minnesota Head Coach Mike Hebert. “This group did a great job all year of dedicating themselves to doing everything they could to have a successful season. They have worked hard since the minute last season ended to this point, and to be rewarded with the No. 6 seed is gratifying for all of us. Our players are very deserving of this opportunity, and we are looking forward to hosting a great group of teams this week at the Sports Pavilion. We also look forward to playing in front of our great fans who have supported us wonderfully all year.”
This year’s NCAA Tournament selection marks the 10th straight year the Golden Gophers have participated in the event. That streak is currently the second longest in the Big Ten.
Minnesota finished the regular-season 26-6 and was second in the Big Ten at 16-4. It marked the seventh time in 10 years the Golden Gophers finished second or higher in the Big Ten. Minnesota’s 26 regular-season victories were also the fourth-highest total in school history (during the NCAA Era). The Golden Gophers enter the tournament on an eight-match winning streak.
North Dakota State enters the tournament with a 24-3 overall record, was 16-0 in conference play and won the Summit League Tournament to claim the conference’s automatic bid. The Golden Gophers and Bison last met in 2005 in Minnesota’s season opener at the Diet Coke Classic on Sept. 2, 2005.
Iowa State, who received an at-large bid out of the Big 12, finished 19-13 overall and was tied for fourth in the conference at 11-9. Northern Iowa, who received an at-large bid from the Missouri Valley Conference, is 25-8, finished third in the conference at 13-5 and lost in the finals of the postseason tournament.
The Panthers defeated the Cyclones in four sets in an earlier meeting this year in Ames, Iowa.
Five Big Ten teams made the field of 64, including the Golden Gophers. Illinois, Michigan, Penn State and Purdue will join Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament. Four Big Ten teams also received top 16 seeds. Penn State (No. 1), Illinois (No. 9) and Purdue (No. 10) joined the Golden Gophers on the list.
Overall, Minnesota will be making its 14th NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, and its 12th under current head coach Mike Hebert. The Golden Gophers have advanced to NCAA Regional Finals in three of the last five years, NCAA National Semifinals in 2003 and 2004 and have also played in the NCAA Regional round in six of the last nine seasons
Minnesota is 25-13 in 38 NCAA Tournament matches. The Golden Gophers have also gone 11-1 in home NCAA Tournament matches, including a 9-0 record at the Sports Pavilion.
All of Minnesota’s postseason matches can be heard on gophersports.com.
It marks the first time since 2003 that the Golden Gophers were selected to host the NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds. The last time Minnesota hosted an NCAA Tournament match was in 2004 when it played host to the NCAA Regional round.
Minnesota will face North Dakota State on Friday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m., and Northern Iowa will face Iowa State in the other first round matchup at 5 p.m. The winners of the two matches will face each other in the second round on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.
All Session tickets are on sale for $20 for chairbacks, $17 for general admission and $12 for senior or student rates. Tickets can be purchased in person starting on the morning of Monday, Dec. 1, over the phone at 1-800-UGOPHER or online at gophersports.com.
The Golden Gophers were awarded the overall No. 6 seed in the tournament, and the second seed in the Austin Region. Texas, who is the No. 3 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, will host the NCAA Regional round. Oregon is the No. 11 overall seed (No. 3 in the region) and UCLA is No. 14 (No. 4 in the region).
Minnesota’s No. 6 overall seed in the tournament is its second-highest in school-history, and the best since the Golden Gophers were seeded No. 4 in 2004. It marks the fourth time in seven years that Minnesota has received a top-eight seed in the tournament. Minnesota was a No. 7 seed in 2002 and a No. 8 seed in 2006.
“We are very excited to be hosting the first and second rounds at the Sports Pavilion again,” said Minnesota Head Coach Mike Hebert. “This group did a great job all year of dedicating themselves to doing everything they could to have a successful season. They have worked hard since the minute last season ended to this point, and to be rewarded with the No. 6 seed is gratifying for all of us. Our players are very deserving of this opportunity, and we are looking forward to hosting a great group of teams this week at the Sports Pavilion. We also look forward to playing in front of our great fans who have supported us wonderfully all year.”
This year’s NCAA Tournament selection marks the 10th straight year the Golden Gophers have participated in the event. That streak is currently the second longest in the Big Ten.
Minnesota finished the regular-season 26-6 and was second in the Big Ten at 16-4. It marked the seventh time in 10 years the Golden Gophers finished second or higher in the Big Ten. Minnesota’s 26 regular-season victories were also the fourth-highest total in school history (during the NCAA Era). The Golden Gophers enter the tournament on an eight-match winning streak.
North Dakota State enters the tournament with a 24-3 overall record, was 16-0 in conference play and won the Summit League Tournament to claim the conference’s automatic bid. The Golden Gophers and Bison last met in 2005 in Minnesota’s season opener at the Diet Coke Classic on Sept. 2, 2005.
Iowa State, who received an at-large bid out of the Big 12, finished 19-13 overall and was tied for fourth in the conference at 11-9. Northern Iowa, who received an at-large bid from the Missouri Valley Conference, is 25-8, finished third in the conference at 13-5 and lost in the finals of the postseason tournament.
The Panthers defeated the Cyclones in four sets in an earlier meeting this year in Ames, Iowa.
Five Big Ten teams made the field of 64, including the Golden Gophers. Illinois, Michigan, Penn State and Purdue will join Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament. Four Big Ten teams also received top 16 seeds. Penn State (No. 1), Illinois (No. 9) and Purdue (No. 10) joined the Golden Gophers on the list.
Overall, Minnesota will be making its 14th NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, and its 12th under current head coach Mike Hebert. The Golden Gophers have advanced to NCAA Regional Finals in three of the last five years, NCAA National Semifinals in 2003 and 2004 and have also played in the NCAA Regional round in six of the last nine seasons
Minnesota is 25-13 in 38 NCAA Tournament matches. The Golden Gophers have also gone 11-1 in home NCAA Tournament matches, including a 9-0 record at the Sports Pavilion.
All of Minnesota’s postseason matches can be heard on gophersports.com.
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