ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Missouri Western volleyball (23-7) returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, beginning with a rematch against No. 9 Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) (23-6) on Thursday in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Action from Halenbeck Hall on the campus of St. Cloud State (Minn.) is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
 
TICKET INFORMATION
Ticket can be purchased here. Tickets will also be available for purchase each day at the ticket booth at the northwest entrance of Halenbeck Hall. The purchase of a ticket allows access to all matches on that day. There is no tournament/weekend pass option.
 
TUNE IN
All seven matches can be streamed live for free on the NSIC Network. For more information on the different ways to access the NSIC Network, click here for the FAQ page.
 
Fans can also follow the action with Tommy Rezac live on the Griffon Sports Network (Varsity Network App, GoGriffons.com/listen).
 
HISTORY AT THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Missouri Western will make its fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament since becoming an affiliate in 1989. They have previously participated three times: 1995, 2000 and 2017.
 
In 2017, the Griffons won their first tournament match, defeating No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney 3-1 in Marshall, Minnesota. They aim to avenge their semifinal loss against Concordia-St. Paul, who went on to win their second consecutive national championship that season. 
 
A SEASON REGULAR SEASON FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
Head coach Jessica Fey's third season at the helm has been one of the most memorable and successful in the program's history. Under her guidance, the Griffs finished second in the MIAA standings and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.
 
During the regular season, the Griffons won three matches against ranked opponents. They swept No. 13 Regis (Colo.) at the Oredigger Classic, won an exciting five-set home match against No. 24 Washburn and upset No. 11 Central Oklahoma.
 
Home court advantage was a significant factor for the Griffs this season, as they finished with an impressive 8-1 record at the MWSU Fieldhouse. On November 8, MWSU achieved its first victory over Central Missouri since 2017, breaking a 13-match losing streak against the Jennies with a decisive sweep. Additionally, their ranked wins against the Ichabods on September 28 and the Bronchos on October 12 took place at home.
 
Missouri Western had six players earn All-MIAA honors. Lily Kurz was recognized as the Co-Defensive Player of the Year, while Nessa Johnson and Taylor Russell were named to the first team. Holly Heldt, Emma Salker and Anna Weberg received second team honors, and Emily Loy earned an honorable mention. Heldt, Johnson and Loy were also chosen for the MIAA All-Tournament Team.
 
Six Griffons were also recognized as MIAA Athletes of the Week throughout the season. Johnson was named Setter of the Week four times; Russell was named Offensive Athlete of the Week once and Kurz received the Defensive Player of the Week award once.
 
ABOUT THE GOLDEN BEARS
Concordia-St. Paul finished the regular season with a 23-6 record (16-2 NSIC). The Golden Bears finished second in both regular season and conference tournament behind St. Cloud State.
 
CSP hosted the NCAA Central Region Tournament at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul in 2023. They fell short against Wayne State (Neb.) in the finals, 3-1. The previous season, they reached the NCAA Championship game but lost to West Texas A&M, also with a score of 3-1.
 
Historically, under head coach Brady Starkey's leadership, CSP has been an NCAA Division II Volleyball powerhouse, winning nine NCAA titles, including an impressive seven consecutive championships from 2007 to 2013.
 
LAST TIME AGAINST CSP
Missouri Western and Concordia-St. Paul met in the season-opening match on September 6 at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic in Golden, Colorado. The Griffons gave the fifth-ranked Golden Bears a run for their money in an exciting five-set match that went down to the last point.
 
Sophomore Emily Loy had an impressive performance, recording a personal best of 20 kills. Holly Heldt also made her mark, achieving her 17th career double-double with 15 digs and 13 kills. Other notable contributions came from senior setter Nessa Johnson, who delivered 42 assists; Anna Weberg, who notched 13 digs; and Lily Kurz, who topped the team with five blocks.
 
LOOKING AHEAD IN THE TOURNAMENT
The winner of the match between Missouri Western and Concordia-St. Paul will advance to face the winner of the match between No. 2 St. Cloud State and Ouachita Baptist on Friday at 7:00 p.m. St. Cloud State University is the champion of the NSIC and holds the top seed in the tournament, while Ouachita Baptist University won the GAC to secure their spot. For more information, visit https://scsuhuskies.com/sports/2024/11/26/2024-ncaa-volleyball-central-regional.