For the third time in as many years, Louisville volleyball will enter the NCAA Tournament as a top-two seed. Looking to making another run at a national championship, the Cardinals (24-4) are a No. 2 seed.
They will begin postseason play at the KFC Yum! Center on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Wright State. The Raiders (21-10) are making their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five seasons — and in program history. Thursday’s match will be the 10th meeting all-time between U of L and Wright State. The Raiders lead the series 6-3. The Cardinals won 20-25, 25-18, 25-20, 26-24 when the two met in August.
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“They are a fiery, really competitive team and they have some players that were really impressive,” Louisville coach Dani Busboom Kelly said. “It’ll be an awesome first game.”
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U of L would also host the second round, where it would face No. 7 seed Auburn or Western Michigan on Friday at 7 p.m., should it advance. The Cardinals, who finished third in the ACC this season behind Pitt and Florida State, are in the same region as the top-seeded Panthers.
“Fortunately, they’re in the same conference and there’s a lot of common opponents,” Division I volleyball committee chair Holly Strauss-O’Brien said during Sunday’s selection show, explaining why Pitt received a No. 1 seed over Louisville. “Pitt had 17 wins to Louisville’s 15. In their last 10 (matches), they’ve won nine out of their last 10 versus Louisville’s eight. They also have an additional two top 50 wins.”
Since 2021, the Cards have played their best matches at home; they boast a 45-2 record during that span.
U of L is coming off a season where it made a run to the national championship game, where it fell to Texas. With veteran leadership and a healthier roster, Busboom Kelly’s team looks to bring the championship trophy home to Louisville for the first time in program history.
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The Cardinals have made the NCAA Tournament in each of their seven seasons under Busboom Kelly. This is the program’s 32nd tournament appearance in program history.
Kentucky, which won its seventh straight SEC championship this season, is also a No. 2 seed in the tournament and will host Wofford on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. It would face No. 7 seed James Madison or Baylor at home in the second round on Friday at 7 p.m. if it advances.
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Reach sports reporter Prince James Story at [email protected] and follow him on X at @PrinceJStory.
Source: https://t-tees.com
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