Michigan State Volleyball Draws Arizona in First Round of the NCAA Championship

 

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State volleyball team (21-11) was selected to the NCAA tournament, as announced by the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Committee on Sunday, Nov. 27. MSU earned an at-large bid from the committee, marking the 14th time in program history the Green and White has been selected for the championship. This marks the team’s first appearance since 2009, and fourth under head coach Cathy George. The Spartans drew Arizona for their first round opponent, with the contest slated for Friday, Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas.

For the conference, the Big Ten earned a nation leading total of eight bids for the NCAA Championship, as MSU was joined by Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, and Purdue.

“This is obviously one of the goals we have been working towards all season long,” said MSU head coach Cathy George. “It is wonderful to see this great group of seniors rewarded for their hard work all year, as well as throughout their careers. The girls have really come into a groove the last few matches, and it couldn’t have happened at a much better time. We just need to keep focused this week as we prepare for a tough Arizona team on Friday night.”

Friday’s match will mark the first time in 21 years the Spartans will have faced the Wildcats. Overall, the Green and White is 1-2 all-time, going 1-1 on neutral courts. MSU first faced Arizona in 1976 and 1977 in the AIAW National Tournament hosted by Texas and the UCLA NIT, respectively. In 1990, the Spartans faced the Wildcats in the Arizona Invitational during the non-conference schedule.

The winner of the MSU vs. Arizona match will play the winner of the top-seeded Texas- Texas State contest on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m.

Michigan State is 1-1 all-time against Texas, while it would mark the first-ever meeting with the Bobcats.