2014 NCAA II Central Region TournamentInteractive NCAA II Tournament Bracket2014 Championship Digital Media GuideChampion of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, the University of Minnesota Duluth received the top seed in the NCAA II Central Region and will play host to the opening rounds of the playoffs Nov. 20-22.
The No. 2-ranked Bulldogs ( open up the tournament against Arkansas Tech University (29-5), winners of the Great American Conference postseason tournament, for the second straight season. Opposite them, fourth-seed champions of the MIAA, the No. 16 University of Central Missouri takes on No. 6 Wayne State (Neb.) College . On the other side of the bracket, defending champion No. 3 Concordia University, St. Paul takes on seventh-seed No. 14 Washburn University, and the University of Nebraska-Kearney takes on third-seed Southwest Minnesota State University with both teams tied for fourth in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II poll.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS(1)
No. 2 UMD (31-1, 20-0 NSIC/First) - NSIC Tournament Champion
Head Coach: Jim Boos, 13th Season - NSIC Coach of the Year
Projected Starters:#2
Katie Ledwell (5-10 / Sr. / OH) - 2.37 kills/game, 3.07 digs/game
#8
Ashley Hinsch (5-10 / Jr. / S) - NSIC Player of the Year - 13.10 assists/game
#9
Julie Rainey (5-9 / Sr. / Lib.) - NSIC Libero of the Year - 5.51 digs/game, .978 RE%
#11
Monica Turner (6-2 / Jr. / MB) - .377 hitting percentage, 0.91 blocks/game
#12
Maddy Siroin (5-11 / Sr. / RS) - 2.96 kills/game, 3.55 points/game
#14
Mariah Scharf (5-10 / Jr. / OH) - 4.01 kills/game
#15
Sydnie Mauch (6-1 / So. / MB) - .348 hitting percentage, 0.86 blocks/game
UMD enters the weekend on a 25-match winning streak with just one loss on its resume to the top-ranked team in the nation (the University of Tampa) and owns victories over three of the eight teams in the regional field. The Bulldogs hosted the past two region tournaments and defeated first-round opponent Arkansas Tech in the same round, 3-0, last season on Dec. 5, 2013.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS(2) No. 3
Concordia-St. Paul (26-5, 18-2 NSIC/Second)
Head Coach: Brady Starkey, 12th Season
Projected Starters:#1 Taylor Dordan (5-6 / Jr. / Lib.) - 3.50 digs/game, .949 RE%
#5 Riley Hanson (5-11 / So. / MB) - .401 hitting percentage, 0.88 blocks/game
#6 Heather Schiller (5-11 / Jr. / MB) - 2.07 kills/game, 1.21 blocks/game
#7 Emma Lange (6-0 / So. / MB) - .330 hitting percentage, 0.96 blocks/game
#8 Mariya Sampson (6-0 / Fr. / OH) - 2.65 kills/game,
#14 Anna Schlaak (5-9 / Jr. / OH) - 3.78 kills/game
#15 Kasey Williams (5-8 / Jr. / S) - 12.36 assists/game, 2.68 digs/game
CU enters the tournament as the seven-time defending champions in NCAA Division II and owns a 52-4 all-time record in the tournament including 42 straight. The Golden Bears are 2-1 all-time against first round opponent Washburn. UMD defeated Concordia in each of the team's two meetings during the 2014 season.
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS(3)
No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State (21-9, 15-5 NSIC/Fourth)
Head Coach: Terry Culhane, 11th Season
Projected Starters:#3 Whitney Burmeister (5-9 / Jr. / Lib.) -Â 4.36 digs/game
#5 Sarah Parker (6-0 / So. / MB) - 0.99 blocks/game, 2.98 kills/game
#6 Megan Larson (5-9 / Fr. / S) - 8.00 assists/game
#7 Eisha Oden (5-11 / Fr. / MB) - NSIC Freshman of the Year - 1.05 blocks/game, .312 hitting percentage
#11 Claire Sames (5-8 / Jr. / OH) - 1.14 kills/game
#14 Kenzie Beekman - 3.30 kills/game, 2.27 digs/game
#20 Abbey Thissen - .301 hitting perecentage, 3.20 kills/game
SMSU went to battle without 1,000 kill performer Abbey Thissen in the opening round of the NSIC tournament, falling 3-1 to UMD. The Mustangs are paired up against the team with whom they are tied in the Division II poll in the opening round of the regional play, Nebraska Kearney. UMD won all three meetings against Southwest this season, but the Mustangs own the only victory over No. 1 Tampa this season.
SCOUTING THE JENNIES(4) No. 16
Central Missouri (22-8, 19-3 MIAA/First)
Head Coach: Flip Piontek, fifth season
Projected Starters:#3 Haley Thompson (6-0 / So. / MH) - 1.11 blocks/game .322 hitting percentage
#5 Kourtney Thompson (5-10 / So. / S) - 10.33 assists/game
#7 Carly Sojka (5-9 / Jr. / OH) - 4.09 kills/game, 2.83 digs/game
#10 Annie Reilly (5-8 / Jr. / Lib.) - 5.66 digs/game
#11 Maddie Jones ( 6-1 / So. / MH) - 1.91 kills/game
#14 Shelby Winkelmann (5-9 / Jr. / OH) -Â 0.84 kills/game, 2.90 digs/game
#17 Becca Blaise (6-0 / So. RS) - 1.03 kills/game, 2.69 digs/game
Central Missouri has been invited to the NCAA Tournament for 32 consecutive seasons after earning the MIAA's automatic bid in 2014. The Jennies actually tied with Nebraska Kearney for the top spot finishing 19-3 in the league after just a 3-5 start in non-conference play. UMD is just 4-11 all-time against Central Missouri, and could meet the Jennies in the second round should both teams advance.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS(5) No. 6
Wayne State (26-6, 16-4 NSIC/Third)
Head Coach: Scott Kneifl, 10th season
Projected Starters:#1 Courtney VanGroningen (5-4 / Jr. / Lib.) - 4.19 digs/game
#5 Michaela Mestl (5-6 / So. / OH)- 1.85 kills/game, 4.40 digs/game
#7 Leisa McClintock (5-6 / Jr. / S) - 11.00 assists/game
#8 Katie Hughes (5-11 / Jr. / OH) - 3.54 kills/game, 3.97 digs/game
#10 Alyssa Frauendorfer (6-0 / So. / MB) - 2.96 kills/game, .327 hitting percentage
#12 Elizabeth Gebhardt (6-2 / Jr. / RS) - 2.83 kills/game, 0.74 blocks/game
#16 Alex Opperman (5-11 / So. / MB) - 0.82 blocks/game
Wayne State finished runner-up in the NSIC/U.S. Bank Tournament to UMD, suffering its third loss of the season to the Bulldogs. The Wildcats have made nine trips to the NCAA tournament in the last 10 years. UMD is 23-5 all-time against WSC.
SCOUTING THE LOPERS(6) No. 4
Nebraska Kearney (27-3, 19-3 MIAA/First)
Head Coach: Rick Squiers, 16th Season
Projected Starters:#4 Erin Seele (5-9 / Jr. / S) - 11.73 assists/game
#7 Bailey Sokolowski (6-2 / So. / MB) - 2.04 kills/game
#8 Liz McGowan (5-8 / Sr. / Lib.) - 4.66 digs/game
#10 LaRose Currie (5-10 / Fr. / OH) - 2.43 kills/game
#16 Kinslie TeKolste (6-2 / So. / OH) - 3.17 kills/game
#18 Annie Wolfe (5-10 / So. / OH) - 2.65 digs/game
#21 Katie Weber (6-1 / So. / MB) - 2.32 kills/game, .284 hitting percentage
Nebraska Kearney enters the weekend having never been swept in 2014, with two of its three losses coming in five sets. UNK is 27-18 all-time in the NCAAs and has made five Elite Eight appearances. UMD is 7-3 all-time against the Lopers but the teams have not met since the 2010 season.
SCOUTING THE ICHABODS(7) No. 14
Washburn (24-6, 16-6 MIAA/Fourth)
Head Coach: Chris Herron, 13th season
Projected Starters:#1 Natlie Bates (5-7 / So. / S) - 9.39 assists/game, 2.51 digs/game
#4 Korie Thompson (5-10 / Jr. OH) - 2.90 digs/game 1.83 kills/game
# 8 Marissa Cox (6-0 / Sr. / RS) - 3.63 kills/game, .305 hitting percentage
#10 Leanna Willer (5-10 / So. / OH) - 3.82 kills/game, 3.16 digs/games
#12 Mattie-Ann Swenson (5-10 / Fr. / OH) - 3.96 assists/game, 1.02 blocks/game
#15 Sarah Vicory (6-1 / So. / MB) - 2.62 kills/game, .370 hitting percentage
#19 Alyssa Carney (5-8 / So. / Lib.) - 4.98 digs/game
Washburn is 11-11 all-time in the NCAA tournament and 9-7 at neutral sites. The Ichabods have never faced first-round foe Concordia in tournament play but did fall to the Golden Bears in the 2011 regular season. Washburn and UMD have never faced off in the storied histories of the two programs.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN SUNS(8)
Arkansas Tech (29-5, 13-1 GAC/First) - GAC Tournament Champion
Head Coach: Kristy Bayer, 11th season
Projected Starters:#1 Sierra Nighswonger (5-8 / Sr. / S) - 10.50 assists/game
#2 Emily Todd (5-11 / Sr. / OH) - 3.17 kills/game, 2.79 digs/game
#6 Kaci Jackson (5-10 / Jr. / OH) - 1.96 kills/game 2.64 digs/game
#10 McCall Wilkins (5-10 / Fr. / MB) - 1.82 kills/game, 0.62 blocks/game
#11 Katie Huff (6-2 / Jr. / MB) - 2.74 kills/game, 0.78 blocks/game
#12 Kayle Konsella (5-11 / So. / RS) - 3.05 kills/game, .295 hitting percentage
#14 Madison Nagel (5-6 / Fr. / Lib.) - 5.48 digs/game
Like UMD, Arkansas Tech enters the tournament with a 20-plus game winning streak, with no. 21 coming in the GAC Tournament Championship. ATU rallied from down 11-4 in the final set of the title game to win 15-13 and make a second straight appearance in Duluth. UMD knocked off Tech in the lone meeting between the two teams in last year's tournament.
Southwest Minnesota and Nebraska Kearney will start tournament play Thursday at Noon at Romano Gym. The Bulldogs and Golden Suns will take the court at around 7:30 p.m., finishing the day's opening round action.
