NCAA Tournament Central | NCAA Tournament Bracket

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – Fresh off winning the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament title, the William Paterson volleyball team (22-9, 7-1 NJAC) will make its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance Thursday, Nov. 21, when the Pioneers face host Christopher Newport (24-9) in the first round at 7:00 p.m.
 
WHERE

• Christopher Newport University; Newport News, Va.

FOLLOW THE ACTION

• Live video and live statistics will be available for all the matches played in Newport News.
• If you are planning to attend the matches in person, check the Christopher Newport website for additional information (ticket prices, facility/parking, etc.).

WHAT'S AT STAKE

• The 64-team NCAA Tournament is conducted at eight sites the first week, with eight-team regionals completing the first three rounds Nov. 21-23.
• The Pioneers are playing in the regional hosted by Christopher Newport. The winner of the WP/CNU match will take on the winner of the No. 9 East Texas Baptist/Allegheny first-round contest Friday, Nov. 22, in the second round at 7:00 p.m..
• The second-round winners will play in the third round (Sweet Sixteen) Saturday, Nov. 23, at 7:00 p.m.

2024 NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT REGIONAL (NEWPORT NEWS, Va.)
First Round -- Thursday, Nov. 21

• Match #1: No. 4 Seed Stevens vs. No. 5 Seed Gallaudet, 11:30 a.m.
• Match #2: No. 1 Seed Washington & Lee vs. No. 8 Seed John Jay, 2:00 p.m.
• Match #3: No. 2 Seed East Texas Baptist vs. No. 7 Seed Allegheny, 4:30 p.m.
• Match #4: No. 3 Seed Christopher Newport vs. No. 6 Seed William Paterson, 7:00 p.m.

Second Round – Friday, Nov. 22

• Match #1 Winner vs. Match #2 Winner, 4:30 p.m.
• Match #3 Winner vs. Match #4 Winner, 7:00 p.m.

Third Round – Saturday, Nov. 23

• Second Round Winners, 7:00 p.m.

FINAL EIGHT (CREGGER CENTER; SALEM, Va.)
Quarterfinals – Wednesday, Dec. 4
Semifinals – Thursday, Dec. 5
Championship – Saturday, Dec. 7
 
WP IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

• The Pioneers are making their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, securing the NJAC's automatic qualifying bid after winning the conference tournament championship.
• WP previously won the NJAC tourney titles in 1982, 1983 and 1991, but the league champion did not receive an automatic bid to the national tourney at that time.

SCOUTING THE PIONEERS

• William Paterson is 22-9 overall and finished 7-1 during regular-season conference play. WP is riding a 10-match win streak entering the NCAA Tournament, and was particularly good at home this fall, registering a flawless 14-0 mark on its own court.
• The 2024 Pioneers won the program's first NJAC regular-season title, securing the top seed for the NJAC Tournament. WP received a quarterfinal bye, then made quick work of fifth-seeded Rowan in the semifinal round, sweeping the Profs 25-22, 25-10, 25-16 at the Sports and Recreation Center Nov. 14. William Paterson again posted a home sweep, this time by a 25-23, 25-22, 26-24 score against third-seeded Stockton in the final Nov. 16 to secure the championship.
• Graduate student outside hitter Hope Arce-Reed (New Carrollton, Md./College Park Academy) was named to the All-NJAC First Team and currently leads the squad with 3.42 kills per set (third in NJAC), adding 0.43 block per set.
• Sophomore outside hitter Cecilia Miller (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) earned her second consecutive first-team all-conference selection and has logged 3.25 kills (fifth in league), 2.87 digs and 0.48 service ace per set this year.
• Sophomore setter Abby Houpt (Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley) was named to the All-NJAC Second Team and paces WP with 9.17 assists (fourth in conference, 47^th in Division III) and 0.57 ace (fourth in NJAC) per set, chipping in 2.20 digs per set.
• Senior libero Paola Molina (Hatillo, Puerto Rico/Colegio San Felipe) became the first NJAC women's volleyball student-athlete since the 2015-16 campaigns to be named the Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. An honorable-mention American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) all-American last fall, she leads the Pioneers with 5.34 digs per set (first in league, 38^th nationally).
• Sophomore Kristian Glenn (Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay) is contributing 2.30 kills and 0.68 block per set, while classmate Sofia Zablackis (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) is adding 1.15 kills to her conference-best 1.12 blocks per set.
• For the second straight season, Head Coach Kevin Rodgers, Assistant Coach Tiffani Causing and Assistant Coach Bill Le were named the NJAC Coaching Staff of the Year.
• This marks the second time WP will travel to Newport News this season. The Pioneers opened the 2024 campaign with a 3-1 loss at Christopher Newport Aug. 30 at the two-day Captains Classic.

SCOUTING THE CAPTAINS

• Christopher Newport is 24-9 overall and finished second in the Coast-to-Coast (C2C) Athletic Conference standings before defeating third-seeded UC Santa Cruz 3-1 Nov. 15 and top-seeded Salisbury 3-2 Nov. 16 to claim its 18th conference title. 
• This marks Christopher Newport's 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its 20th under Head Coach Lindsay Birch, who has guided the program to 17 consecutive tournament berths.
• Junior middle blocker Alyssa Dozier was named C2C Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, and is averaging 2.87 kills and 1.04 blocks per set.
• Senior defensive specialist Noelle Starr joined Dozier on the All-C2C First Team, contributing 5.14 digs per set.
• Graduate setter Alyssa Vitale (7.91 assist per set) and fifth-year middle blocker Macy Burk (2.09 kills and 0.74 block per set) rounded out the Captains' honorees with second-team all-conference selections.
• Additionally, Christopher Newport was named the C2C Coaching Staff of the Year.

FOLLOW THE PIONEERS

• http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia