A nationally ranked team from the NSIC will see their season fall short of the postseason tournament following the 2024 Division II women’s volleyball tournament selection show Monday evening.
According to NCAA.com, the Central Region will be without the 16th ranked Wayne State College volleyball team.
The Wildcats ended their season at 23-7 following a five set loss (26-24, 15-25, 23-25, 25-22, 14-16) against previously ranked #8 DII Concordia-St. Paul during the NSIC semi-final round this past Saturday, Nov. 23 in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Monday’s final regular season AVCA/TARAFLEX DII Top 25 Coaches Poll saw WSC drop one spot to #16 and collect 527 points in voting conducted by various Division II coaches nationally.
#1 Ferris State (31-0) remains as the top team with 41 first-place votes while NSIC St. Cloud State (27-2) remained #2 with five first-place votes.
Other NSIC teams ranked nationally in the final regular season along with #16 WSC and #2 SCSU include #9 Concordia-St. Paul (23-6), fell one spot; #15 Southwest Minnesota State (23-5), fell three spots and #17 Northern State (21-7), moved up one spot while Minnesota Duluth (13) was listed on two or more ballots.
Another NSIC team being nationally ranked and out of a postseason bid was also #17 Northern State University.
NCAA DII Volleyball National Tournament.
#2 DII St. Cloud State was announced as the host for the Central Region Tournament set for Thursday, Dec. 5 – Sunday, Dec. 8 in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Opening round match-ups will showcase #1 seed (#2 DII) St. Cloud State (27-2) NSIC champion vs. #8 seed Ouachita Baptist (22-9) Great American Conference champion; #4 seed (#9 DII) Concordia-St. Paul (23-6) NSIC runner-up vs. #5 seed (receiving votes) Missouri Western (23-7) MIAA at-large ; #2 seed (#6 DII) Central Oklahoma (30-2) MIAA champion vs. #7 seed (#15 DII) Southwest Minnesota State (23-5) NSIC at-large and #3 seed (#5 DII) Nebraska-Kearney (30-2) MIAA runner-up vs. #6 seed (receiving votes) Washburn (20-7) MIAA at-large.
The NCAA DII Elite Eight, Final Four and National Championship rounds will be hosted at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota from Thursday, Dece. 12 – Saturday, Dec. 14.
Last year’s champion, favored Cal State LA winning in four sets over West Texas A&M in Moon Township, PA. Cal State LA, receiving votes just outside top 25 (18-10) earned the #7 seed in the West Region this year while #8 DII West Texas A&M (25-4), who finished runner-up last year and also won the national title in 2021 will be the #2 seed in the South Central Region.
