CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion volleyball team earned the fifth-seed in the re-seeded NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships and will take on fourth-seed and defending national champion West Texas A&M at 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, at the UPMC Events Center on the campus of Robert Morris University in Moon Township, Pa.
Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster and can be bought as either a full seven-match tournament package for $30 plus fees) or by day (includes all matched each day) for $12 per day.
Clarion (28-6), under 17th-year head coach Jennifer Herron, the winningest coach in school history, is making its second-ever appearance in the round of eight – 2010 was the first – after sweeping its way to the Atlantic Region Championship, including a 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-17) sweep over IUP in the championship match on Saturday night at Gannon.
The Golden Eagles are led by junior outside hitter Cassidy Snider, a Conneaut graduate. Snider is both the Atlantic Region and PSAC West Athlete of the Year. She set the school’s single-season kills record in the win over IUP and now has 584 kills on the year.
West Texas A&M (31-3) earned the fourth seed after winning the program’s 16th South Central Region title, including a five-set win (23-25, 25-23, 14-25, 25-22, 15-11) in the championship match against MSU Denver. This will be the third consecutive trip to the final eight under head coach Kendra Potts.
Last year the Lady Buffs defeated Concordia-St. Paul in four sets (23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 28-26) at the 2022 Championship in Seattle. They are ranked fifth nationally in the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll.
NOTES: This year’s NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship is being hosted by PennWest Clarion and SportsPITTSBURGH … Additional athletes with local ties on the team are Karlee Berchtold, who is a Villa Maria graduate, and Abigail Selfridge, whose sister, Erica, graduated from Clarion High School (Abigail graduated from a high school in New York state).
NCAA National Championship Schedule
THURSDAY, DEC. 7
Quarterfinal 1: No. 3 Wayne State v. No. 6 Cal State LA – Noon
Quarterfinal 2: No. 2 Missouri St. Louis v. No. 7 Anderson – 2:30 p.m.
Quarterfinal 3: No. 4 West Texas A&M v. No. 5 Clarion – 5 p.m.
Quarterfinal 4: No. 1 Tampa v. No. 8 Bentley – 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, DEC. 8
Semifinal 1: Quarterfinal 1 Winner v Quarterfinal 2 Winner – 5 p.m.
Semifinal 2: Quarterfinal 3 Winner v Quarterfinal 4 Winner – 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, DEC. 9
