Tampa Selected to its 32nd NCAA Tournament with the No. 3 Seed
The Spartans will meet No. 6-seeded Lynn University in the opening round of the 2016 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball South Region Tournament. UT will travel to West Palm Beach, Fla. to open postseason play.
INDIANAPOLIS – Announcing the field for the 64-team 2016 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament, the University of Tampa was selected as the three-seed in the South Region that will be hosted by top-seeded Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla. The Spartans have earned a bid to the postseason for its 21st consecutive season and 32nd overall.
Eight teams were selected in each of the eight regions, with the winner of each region traveling to Sioux Falls, S.D. for the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
After winning his 1,000th career victory to begin the season, head coach Chris Catanach will enter his 31st postseason tournament, missing a bid in just two seasons across his 33-year career. Tampa is 22-8 heading into the South Region Tournament.
The Spartans will meet a familiar-foe in Lynn University, as the Fighting Knights earned the No. 6 seed in the tournament after a five-year hiatus. This is the first postseason for Lynn under head coach Adam Milewski. The two squads split the regular season series, as Tampa took a 3-0 win in the Martinez Center while Lynn also won at home, winning a 3-1 decision in the de Hoernle Center earlier in the year.
The Sailfish earn hosting duties after winning 28 consecutive contests and finishing the regular-season 28-3 overall. Palm Beach Atlantic will host its second regional tournament after hosting the 2015 tournament. PBA will meet SIAC automatic-qualifier Kentucky State to open play.
Saint Leo picks up the second-seed after winning the Sunshine State Conference Championship. The 20-11 Lions will meet No. 7 Florida Southern College in the first round as the two teams split the regular season series and will meet in postseason play with their seasons on the line.
No. 4 West Florida will face No. 5 North Alabama in a rematch of the Gulf South Conference Championship. North Alabama squeaked out a win in the five-set thriller, taking the match in the fifth set by a close 15-13 final score.
The South Region tournament will begin with four quarterfinal matches on Thursday Dec. 1 with semifinal and regional final contests being played in the following two days. More information regarding game times and links will be made available prior to the quarterfinal matches. Head to www.tampaspartans.com for more information as it is released.
Click here for the complete bracket
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