BACK TO NATIONALS: Volleyball team to face Shawnee State in Opening Round

Red Wolves, volleyball and Bears, oh my!

The Indiana University East volleyball team will play at Shawnee State University on Nov. 20 in the Opening Round of the NAIA National Championship.

The winners of the National Championship Opening Round matches advance to Sioux City, Iowa, the NAIA National Championship final site. Matches at the final site run from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4.

Shawnee State is ranked 26th and IU East is 27th in the final Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches Top 25 Poll.

The Red Wolves (39-3) beat the Bears (34-9) in four games on Oct. 15 at the University of St. Francis/Asics Munciana Invitational in Yorktown, Ind.

Scores were 25-17, 29-27, 22-25, 25-13. Sophomore Breezy Strete (Troy, Ohio/Troy High School) had 21 kills and sophomore libero Kristin Waechter (Muncie, Ind./Daleville High School) had 30 digs in the win.

"We're happy to be playing someone we are familiar with," said Red Wolves coach Charlie Brown. "I think we are pretty even. The team that wants it the most will win it.

"They are going to be tough to beat in their own place, but we match up well and it's a real opportunity for us to take the next step."

IU East earned a spot in the NAIA National Championship for the second consecutive season by winning the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Nov. 12 and 13.

Taylor beat the Red Wolves in three games in the Opening Round in 2009.

"It's unlike last year when we didn't know a whole lot about our opponent," Brown said. "We're pretty familiar with our opponent, and we know they are a quality team."

Shawnee State earned a trip to the NAIA National Championship by winning the Mid-South Conference Tournament.

The Bears beat 2009 NAIA National Championship runner-up Georgetown College in the Mid-South Tournament title match.

Senior outside hitter Jami Turrill leads the Bears in kills per game and attack percentage.

The Red Wolves are one of 36 teams in the tournament field. The top 11 teams plus a host school advanced directly to the NAIA National Championship final site. The winners of the Nov. 20 matches will complete the 24-team field at Sioux City.

The match time for the IU East-Shawnee State match will be announced later this week.

Click here to view the NAIA announcement of the Opening Round pairings.

Click here to view the final Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches Top 25 Poll of the 2010 season.