University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Set to Host First and Second Rounds
11/27/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 27, 2011
Buy Tickets for First and Second Rounds Here.
The Minnesota volleyball team (18-11) will host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament at the Sports Pavilion, Dec. 2-3. Minnesota will face North Dakota State (26-8) on Friday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Prior to the Gopher/Bison match will be Western Michigan (24-8) and Washington (23-7), at 4:30 p.m.
The winners of the first two matches will face each other on Dec. 3, 7:30 p.m., also at the Sports Pavilion. This marks the third time in four years that the Gophers will host the first and second rounds. The Gophers hosted NDSU in 2008, 2010 and again this year. The 2011 championship marks the first year Washington and Western Michigan will visit the Sports Pavilion.
The Gophers are the No. 13 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and will hope to make it to their own regional as Minnesota hosts the NCAA Semifinals and NCAA Regional Final on Dec. 9-10. Iowa State holds the No. 4 overall seed, while Purdue is seeded fifth, also in the Minneapolis Region. The regional winners will advance to the semifinals and final hosted by the University of Texas at San Antonio, and San Antonio Sports at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on December 15 and 17.
The Big Ten Conference has the most of any league to make the tournament, marking eight this season. Making it to the big dance is Nebraska (Big Ten Champions and the No. 2 overall seed), Illinois (overall No. 3), Purdue (overall No. 5), Penn State (No. 8), Minnesota (13), Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan. The Big 12 and the Pac 12 had the second-most in the tournament with seven. Along with Nebraska and Illinois gaining the top seed in its regional, Iowa State received the No. 4 overall seed, while Texas was the overall No. 1.
Tickets for the First and Second Rounds go on sale tomorrow at 9 a.m. through the Gopher ticket office. All-Session reserved tickets will be $20, while all-session general admission is $17 and student/youth/senior general admission is $12. Single session tickets will go on sale, Friday, Dec. 2 at 9 a.m.
