NMSU non-conference opponents Georgia Tech (ACC at large) and Sacramento State (Big Sky Conference Champion) also get invited to dance.
A Las Cruces Digest Report
Photo: Courtesy UTEP Athletics
Sources: NCAA and Conference USA
If there was any doubt about the strength of this season’s volleyball schedule, today’s tournament selection should put those notions to rest. The Aggies’ schedule was stacked with eventual tournament selections.
Of the four teams dancing, Western Kentucky (CUSA) and Sacramento State (Big Sky) earned automatic bids in winning their respective conference championships. The Hilltoppers of WKU are the freshest in our minds, as they toppled the Aggies three-sets-to-one in the Conference USA Championship a little over a week ago. The Hilltoppers claimed the CUSA regular season and tournament title and are headed to the NCAA tournament for the sixth consecutive year and 17th under head coach Travis Hudson. WKU has won 92 straight matches in regular season league play dating back to the 2018 campaign. Western Kentucky will face 6-seed Minnesota in Round One on Thursday, December 5.
The Aggies played Sacramento State at their invitational on September 4. After taking the first two sets in the match, the Aggies couldn’t hold on, eventually losing 3-2. The Hornets start their tournament against 2-seed Stanford in an evening match (8 pm) this Friday.
Georgia Tech was selected at large by the committee, and were ranked #14 when the Aggies played them September 1. The Aggies were only able to stall the inevitable with a third-set win. The Yellow Jackets beat the Aggies in four, 3-1. The 7-seed Yellow Jackets will face off against Tennessee on Thursday.
In a surprise at large selection, UTEP was selected to this year’s NCAA tournament by the committee. After a historic season, UTEP will make its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance, finishing with 27 total wins, including 18 CUSA victories. This marks only the seventh time in program history the Miners have achieved at least 26 wins in a season, with previous milestones achieved in 1988 (26-14), 1984 (28-14), and 1982 (30-18). The Aggies played three matches against the Miners this season, losing decisively in the two regular season pairings, but gutting out a 5-set power match in the Conference USA semifinals. UTEP (27-5) will face No. 8 Oklahoma (14-10) on December 6th at Pittsburgh’s Fitzgerald Fieldhouse at 3 p.m. CT. The winner will advance to play the winner of No. 1 Pittsburgh/Morehead State on December 7th at 6 p.m. CT.
