INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on Monday announced the 64-team field for its Division III Volleyball Championship and Gustavus (25-4) is selected to face University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, hosted by Northwestern-St. Paul.
UW-Eau Claire (21-9) earned an at-large bid after falling to UW-Platteville in the first round of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Tournament and finishing fourth in the conference. The Blugolds went 4-3 in conference play and 5-8 against regionally ranked opponents.
The first round matchup between the Gusties and Blugolds will be the 26th meeting between the two programs. The Gusties’ 2021 post-season ended in the regional semifinal to UW-Eau Claire, who would go on to be the eventual 2021 NCAA Champions. Both teams met earlier this season, with the Gusties emerging victorious with a 3-1 win over the Blugolds.
The Gusties’ regional bracket also includes host Northwestern-St. Paul, North Park, UW-Stevens Point, Coe College, UW-Whitewater, and Cornell College.