Cal State gets to host D2 volleyball finals

Cal State San Bernardino has been chosen to host the NCAA Division II Volleyball Elite Eight.

It was pretty much a no-brainer, although the NCAA hasn’t seemed real thrilled to put the event out West in the past, preferring to defer to states more centrally located. This is the first time a West team has hosted since Cal State did so eight years ago.

Why was it such an easy decision?

Well the Coyotes are ranked No. 1 and they’re the only undefeated team in the country.

If you’re the NCAA you probably want the host team to at least make it to the championship match and the Coyotes should do so, barring something totally unexpected.

The draw is set up in advance on a rotating basis. This year the Coyotes face the Southeast Region winner in the quarterfinal. That’s Flagler College from St. Augustine, Fla. That is traditionally one of the weakest regions in the country – the others being  the Atlantic and East.

And all thosre region reps are on the Coyotes’ side of the draw.

Tampa, Fla. and Concordia St. Paul, the team that has betaen the Coyotes at the national tournament the last three years, are both in the other half. So Cal State will have to play one of those – not both. And it wouldn’t be until the championship match.

The area is easily accessible and there are plenty of choice in airports. It’s going to be a heck of a lot easier getting in and out of California in December, than say, Minnesota!

The event will be held Dec. 1-3. It will be a great weekend of action. The community should come out and support the event. It’s not often you have an a national championship being decided in you’re own backyard.

Here’s the schedule so mark your calendars . .

Coussoulis Arena – hosted by Cal State San Bernardino
First Round – Dec. 1
12:00 p.m. – Tampa (32-1) vs. Bridgeport (21-7)
2:30 p.m. – Concordia-St. Paul (31-2) vs. Central Missouri (30-4)
5:00 p.m. – Wheeling Jesuit (36-3) vs. Hillsdale (30-2)
7:30 p.m. – Cal State San Bernardino (30-0) vs. Flagler (31-6)

Semifinals – Dec. 2
5:00 p.m. – Semifinal One
7:30 p.m. – Semifinal Two

Finals – Dec. 3
7:00 p.m.

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Cal State to host West Region volleyball

The Cal State San Bernardino volleyball team will host the NCAA Division II West Region Tournament, beginning on Thursday. There will be eight teams competing and one berth in the Elite Eight up for grabs.

Let’s hope the community shows up to support the event. First off, it’s great entertainment. The West Region boasts top notch teams and THE best is the local team. High school players and coaches shouldn’t waste the opportunity to see that level of play.

The school has a first-class venue and it’s easy to get to.

Next Sunday the NCAA will announce where the Elite Eight will be held. Cal State is among the schools who have put in bids to host the event. The Coyotes have trekked all over the country the last three years and they have put in bid to host, only to be denied.

The NCAA looks at a lot of things when it comes to picking a site – one is attendance. Poor attendance figures at this week’s event won’t help the Coyotes cause. The NCAA hasn’t given the event to a West Coast team since 2003 and they’re looking for any reason to short-change the area yet again.

Here is the rundown for quarterfinal play on Thursday . . .

Noon – No. 3 Sonoma State (21-6) vs. No. 6 Hawaii Hilo (15-6)

2:30 p.m. – No. 2 UC San Diego (21-5) vs. No. 7 Grand Canyon (22-6)

5 p.m. – No. 4 Brigham Young-Hawaii (18-3) vs. No. 5 Seattle Pacific (21-6)

7:30 p.m. – No. 1 Cal State San Bernardino (27-0) vs. No. 8. Alaska-Anchorage (18-8).

 

 

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Cal State’s Middleborn takes CCAA honor again

The folks at the CCAA office should just hand over the Player of the Year award for women’s volleyball to Cal State San Bernardino’s Samantha Middleborn. Right now! No need to vote. She is the best player in the conference  – by far.

On Monday she was named Molten/California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week for the week for the fifth time.

Her numbers were sop impressive it would hard to make a case for anyone else. In helping the Coyotes close out CCAA play with three wins and conclude the first undefeated regular season in program history, Middleborn totaled 51 kills in 75 attempts, registered a .600 hitting percentage and tallied 28 total blocks. During a three-set win against UC San Diego, the 2010 National Player of the Year collected 15 kills, six digs and recorded a .462 hitting percentage.

On Friday against Cal State Monterey Bay, Middleborn had 24 kills and 14 digs while posting a .600 hitting percentage in four sets. She closed out the weekend with 12 kills, eight blocks and an .857 attack percentage in a three-set win over Cal State East Bay.

Middleborn improved her NCAA Division II-leading hitting percentage to .504 and tops the country with a 1.62 blocks per set.

The top-ranked Coyotes are next in action on Thursday when they host Alaska Anchorage in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

 

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