Golden Hurricane Earn Second Straight Bid to NIVC, Head West to Face UC Davis

NIVC Bracket (PDF)
TULSA, Okla. - For the second consecutive season, the Tulsa volleyball team has earned a spot in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), as announced by the organization on Sunday. The Golden Hurricane (15-15, 8-8 The American) will face UC Davis (17-12, 9-7 Big West) in the first round on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 5 p.m. PT/7 p.m. CT in Long Beach, California.

"We are excited to be able to play in the (NIVC)," head coach Ryan Wills said. "Getting our seniors more matches in a Tulsa uniform and having a young team is an experience you can't put a price tag on. We have a team that can do a lot of damage in this tournament if we show up to fight each match."

The women's NIVC is a single-elimination tournament, with all matches played at sites of host schools. The event debuted in 1989 with 20 teams, in response to a demand for another postseason opportunity within the sport. It was held for seven seasons, before making its return in 2017.

The 2019 tournament features 32 Division I teams, including American foes Houston and Tulane.

Wednesday's contest will be the second all-time meeting between Tulsa and UC Davis. The Golden Hurricane hosted the Aggies during the 2011 campaign at the Park Inn Hurricane Invitational. UC Davis would win the match in straight sets.

The winner of the contest will advance to the second round and await the winner of Santa Clara (20-11, 10-8 WCC) and host Long Beach State (12-16, 9-7 Big West). The match will take place on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. CT.

This is the just the second time in program history that the Golden Hurricane have appeared in consecutive postseason tournaments. Last season, Tulsa clinched its first berth to the NIVC, where they faced North Texas in the first round.

Tulsa earned three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament from 2010-2012. Wills served as an assistant coach on the 2010 squad.

To keep up with the latest news on Tulsa volleyball, visit TulsaHurricane.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

NIVC -- Long Beach State Regional
Wednesday, Dec. 4
Match 1: Tulsa vs. UC Davis – 7 p.m. CT
Match 2: Long Beach State vs. Santa Clara -- 9 p.m. CT.
Thursday, Dec. 5
Match 3: Match 1 Winner vs. Match 2 Winner – 9 p.m. CT

NIVC Schedule
Selection: Dec. 1
Round 1 & 2: Dec. 4-8
Round 3: Dec. 9-12
Semifinals: Dec. 13-15
Championship: Dec. 16, 17, or 18

Golden Hurricane Earn Second Straight Bid to NIVC, Head West to Face UC Davis

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