Tulsa Volleyball Season Continues in the NIVC

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TULSA, Okla. –– The Tulsa volleyball teams season has been extended under first-year Head Coach Lauren Ramatowski with an invitation to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), it was announced Sunday night.

The NIVC is a single-elimination 32-team tournament with all games played at the sites of host schools. Tulsa is one of six American Athletic Conference schools to make the NIVC event. The others are East Carolina, FAU, North Texas, South Florida and Wichita State.

Tulsa will play Kansas City this Thursday, Nov. 30, on the campus of Wichita State. The match will be played at 3:30 p.m. (CT). The winner advances to second round action on Friday, Dec. 1 at 1:30 p.m. (CT), against the winner of the Wichita State (21-8)-Arkansas State (16-14) match.

"Competing in the postseason is a wonderful opportunity for our program. Our girls are excited to continue playing together. We talk about joy and growth in our program and playing in the NIVC allows us the opportunity to continue to get better and share our love for each other and the sport," said Ramatowski.

The Hurricane finished the regular season with an overall 17-14 record and finished the American Athletic Conference campaign with a 10-9 mark. Tulsa won its last four matches and six of the last eight to close out AAC play.

Kansas City comes into the match with a 22-8 overall record and a 12-4 Summit League mark to finish tied atop the conference standings in the regular season. The top-seeded Roos lost in the Summit League championship match.

This will be the 21^st meeting between the two schools. Tulsa leads the series 13-7, as the teams last played in the 2019 season when the Hurricane captured a 3-1 win over the Roos.

Tulsa will be making its eighth overall postseason appearance in school history and fourth time in the NIVC. All of Tulsa's postseason showings have come in the past 17 years. Tulsa last made the NIVC in the 2021 season, while also playing in the 2018 event and advancing to the NIVC semifinal round in 2019. The Hurricane has an overall 3-3 record in NIVC postseason play.

Tulsa is led by its three seniors – Kayley Cassaday, Avery Kalsu and Regan Pendleton. Cassaday ranks second in school history with 1,873 career kills and has an American Athletic Conference high of 592 kills for a 5.1 average per set this season. Cassaday also leads the league with 636 total points, while Kalsu ranks third in the AAC with 9.91 assists per set and is second on the Tulsa roster with 352 digs. Pendleton has totaled 124 kills, 112 digs and 52 blocks for her senior campaign.

NIVC First and Second Round matches are scheduled for Nov. 29-Dec. 2, Round 3 for Dec. 5-7, Semifinals from Dec 7-10, and the Championship round will be played between Dec. 10-12.

NIVC Wichita Bracket
Thursday, Nov. 30
Tulsa vs. Kansas City, 3:30 p.m. (CT)
Wichita State vs. Arkansas State, 6 p.m. (CT)

Friday, Dec. 1
Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1:30 p.m. (CT)

Tulsa's NIVC History
2018        First Round: North Texas 3, Tulsa 1 (@ Denton, Texas)
2019        First Round: Tulsa 3, UC Davis 1 (@ Long Beach, Calif)
               Second Round: Tulsa 3, Santa Clara 1 (@ Long Beach, Calif.)
               Quarterfinals: Tulsa 3, Weber State 1 (@ Tulsa, Okla.)
               Semifinals: South Dakota 3, Tulsa 1 (@ Vermillion, S.C.)
2021        First Round: UTEP 3, Tulsa 1 (@ Fort Collins, Colo.)

Tulsa Volleyball Season Continues in the NIVC

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Players Mentioned

Kayley Cassaday

Avery Kalsu

Regan Pendleton