SEWARD, Neb. – While several of the top-ranked teams will be hosting NAIA Women’s Volleyball National Championship Opening Round matches, the Bulldogs will have an added reward of a trip to New Orleans. Tenth-ranked Concordia is finalizing its travel preparations to head down to The Big Easy for an opening round clash with Xavier University of New Orleans. The winner of Saturday’s match will be one of 24 teams that will earn a spot at the final site of the national tournament.
Opening Round Info
No. 10 Concordia (15-4) at Xavier (18-4)
Saturday, April 17 | 2 p.m. CDT
Convocation Center | New Orleans, La.
Webcast: https://www.meridix.com/event/191047
Live Stats: Dakstats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country (Frank Greene)
--Tickets: https://xulatix.universitytickets.com/ (capacity capped at 800 tickets sold); cost is $8 for adults & $5 for students/youth; tickets MUST be bought online.
Fan policy: Fans are required to wear masks when inside the Convocation Center. Fan attendance will be capped at 800. Doors will be opened to fans at 1 p.m.
By the numbers
· Head Coach Ben Boldt will lead Concordia into the national tournament for a second year in a row. Boldt is the first coach in the program’s history to guide the Bulldogs to multiple national tournament trips. In the 2019 journey at nationals, the Bulldogs advanced straight to the final site, where they reached the NAIA national round of 16 (never before achieved in program history). The ’19 team defeated 19th-ranked Montana Tech and University of Saint Mary (Kan.) before eventually having its season ended by fourth-ranked Missouri Baptist University in the round of 16.
· The first national tournament appearance in program history occurred in 2015 when Concordia hosted an opening round matchup with Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.). The Bulldogs dropped three tight sets and fell in a straight sets defeat (25-23, 27-25, 26-24). Paige Getz led Concordia with 14 kills. The GPAC tournament runner up that season, the Bulldogs finished the campaign with an overall record of 26-9. Then Head Coach Scott Mattera is now the leader of an Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas) program that has also qualified for nationals.
· Nine Bulldogs on the current national tournament roster gained experience on the national stage last season. In four 2019 national tournament matches, four returners produced a combined 20+ kills: Kara Stark (44), Camryn Opfer (36) Kalee Wiltfong (35) and Arleigh Costello (22). Tara Callahan racked up 164 assists and Marissa Hoerman totaled 60 digs during the 2019 national tournament run. It’s a small sample, but the program’s all-time national tournament leader in kills and blocks is 2020 graduate Emmie Noyd (57 kills and 16 blocks at the 2019 tournament).
· Concordia owns a record of 5-3 against fellow 2020 national qualifiers. The Bulldogs defeated qualifiers in Dordt, Grand View University (Iowa), Midland (twice) and Ottawa University (Kan.). The three losses came at the hands of Jamestown and Northwestern (twice). The GPAC led all conferences with five qualifiers.
· Through 19 matches this season, statistical leaders for the Bulldogs include Camryn Opfer and Kara Stark in kills (179), Tara Callahan in assists (703), Tristin Mason in aces (28), Marissa Hoerman in digs (300) and Gabi Nordaker in blocks (78) and hitting percentage (.291). On the NAIA national leaderboard, Concordia ranks 10th in kills per set (13.55), 25th in hitting percentage (.219), 30th in blocks per set (2.17) and 37th in aces per set (1.83).
· Xavier is making an appearance at nationals for the 10th time in program history. The Gold Nuggets advanced to the final site in 2019 after defeating William Carey University (Miss.) in the opening round. In its final season in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, Xavier swept GCAC regular season and postseason titles for the 10th year in a row.
The opponent
Head Coach Pat Kendrick (fourth season) guides a program that is well-accustomed to appearing on the national stage. Xavier made its first trip to nationals in 2011 and has gotten back there every year since then. The Gold Nuggets broke through in 2019 with the program’s first-ever national championships victory. The current team went a perfect 12-0 in conference play and then defeated both Edward Waters and Dillard in straight sets in GCAC postseason play while taking the tournament title. Nationally, Xavier ranks third in aces per set (2.46), eighth in hitting percentage (.245) and 33rd in blocks per set (2.13). Kayla Black has been the team’s most prolific attacker with 143 kills (3.0 per set).
NAIA final site
All opening round winners will earn spots at the final site of the NAIA Volleyball National Championship: the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Sioux City has been the final destination for the NAIA volleyball championship since 2008. Pool play will begin on April 27 with bracket play to open up on April 29. Only eight teams will advance to bracket play, which begins with the national quarterfinals (instead of the round of 16). For more information on the championship, click HERE.