AIKEN, S.C.- The Queens University of Charlotte volleyball team has earned a berth into the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2013 as announce by the NCAA selection show. The Royals tabbed the No. 7 seed in the region and will face Wingate University who secured the Southeast Region two seed for a 2:30 p.m., match on Friday, December 2, 2016.
The Royals enter the tournament with a 20-9 record while the Bulldogs hold a 29-5 record overall after claiming the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Title. For Queens, this is the first time that the program has made the tournament since 2013 which was their inaugural appearance in the postseason championships. The team faced Flagler, falling to the Saints 3-0 in the match. Wingate has frequented the tournament, but fell in the first round last year to Lander, 3-1.
This will be the third meeting for the two teams with the last matchup coming in the South Atlantic Conference Championship Semifinals. Wingate tallied the win but not without the Royals contesting the match including taking a set away from the Bulldogs for a 3-1 score.
The Royals enter with SAC All-Tournament and SAC Player of the Year recipient,
Meredith Jones, who ranks nationally in kills per set coming in at 46
th nationally. She also tabbed the 28
th highest total in a three set match with 28 kills during the competition.
Additionally, the team boasts
Sydney Kunz who enters as a SAC Second-Team All-Conference honoree in addition to
Rebecca Cochran and
Megan Mancini who received honorable mention nods.
The first round of the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships will be held at the University of South Carolina-Aiken who garnered the first seed in the region. The match against Wingate is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m., Friday, December 2.
