Watch
Live Stats
Bracket
Game Notes
 
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - HBU will face Colorado State in the first round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship Thursday at 8:30 p.m. CDT in Moby Arena. The match will be broadcast live on the Mountain West Network.
 
The Huskies (21-8) were an automatic qualifier after finishing as the regular-season runner-up in the Southland Conference. Junior setter Ellie Wipf, a first-team all-conference selection, averages 9.66 assists, 2.22 digs, 0.98 kills and 0.73 blocks per set. Junior right side Anna Gadway was also a first-team pick and leads HBU with 2.84 kills per set, while also adding 2.60 digs and 0.65 blocks per set. First-team all-conference senior middle blocker Ebonie Ballesteros hits at a .269 clip, averaging 2.13 kills per set, led the Southland for the second-straight season and ranks 18th nationally with 1.31 blocks per set. Senior outside hitter Mikayla Vivens adds 2.25 kills and 3.75 digs per set., while third-team all-league selection Audrey Pearce averages 2.17 kills and 1.24 blocks per set, leading the league in blocks per set in conference play. Sophomore libero Kaley Feris, also a third-team selection, comes up with 4.56 digs per set.
 
As a team, HBU ranks ninth nationally with 2.75 blocks per set and 19th nationally with 17.06 digs per set. The Huskies have tied their record for wins since returning to NCAA Division I and will be making their first postseason appearance under Southland Conference Coach of the Year Trent Herman.
 
The Rams (18-10) won the Mountain West regular-season title, but were upset in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Kennedy Stanford leads CSU with 3.28 kills per set, while Jacqi Van Liefde, Karina Leber and Annie Sullivan each add more than two kills per set. Ciera Pritchard guides the offense with 9.98 assists per set. Sasha Colombo leads the Rams with 82 blokcs, followed by Leber with 76. Alexa Roumeliotis averages 4.42 digs per set.
 
The NIVC presented by Triple Crown Sports returns for its fourth edition with a 31-team field after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. The third round is scheduled for Dec. 6-8, followed by the semifinals Dec. 8-11. The championship match will be held Dec. 13 or 14.
 
The winner of the match will face the winner between Tulsa and UTEP Friday at 8:30 p.m. CDT.