(Sioux City, Iowa) – Dordt College will be the number one seed when the 2015 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Postseason Volleyball Tournament opens on Saturday, November 7. The Defenders are the number one seed and regular season champions after going 14-2 in conference play and 23-4 overall. Midland University will be the two seed after posting a 13-3 conference record and 26-3 overall mark.
The third seed goes to Hastings who also went 13-3 in the GPAC and was 22-7 overall. The fourth seed is Concordia who went 12-4 in the league and 27-7 overall. The top four seeds will host quarterfinal round matches on Saturday night at 7:30 pm.
The remaining seeds will be #5 Northwestern, #6 Briar Cliff, #7 Doane, and #8 College of Saint Mary. The Flames will participate in the tournament in their inaugural season in the GPAC. Six of the eight teams participating in the tournament were either ranked or receiving votes in the latest NAIA Poll.
The winner of the 2015 GPAC Volleyball Tournament receives the league’s automatic berth to the NAIA National Volleyball Championship. The GPAC receives one automatic berth this year because the conference is below 12 NAIA volleyball teams (Nebraska Wesleyan is NCAA Division III). Quarterfinal round play will begin on Saturday, November 7, at the four highest seeds. The semifinals are on Wednesday, November 11, with the Championship on Saturday, November 14.
The 2015 NAIA Volleyball National Championship includes a field of 36 teams. Twenty-four teams will compete in 12 opening round matches played on campus sites nationwide on November 21. The top 11 seeds and final site host (Briar Cliff) receive an opening round bye. Opening round winners will join the top 11 and host at the final site for a 24-team pool play tournament. The top two teams from each pool advance to single elimination championship play.
GPAC Volleyball Quarterfinals – Saturday, November 7
Records listed as (Overall, GPAC)
#8 College of Saint Mary (12-16, 3-13) at #1 Dordt (23-4, 14-2), 7:30pm
#5 Northwestern (24-7,12-4) at #4 Concordia (24-7,12-4), 7:30pm
#6 Briar Cliff (17-10, 9-7) at #3 Hastings (22-7, 13-3), 7:30pm
#7 Doane (19-12,9-7) at #2 Midland (26-3, 13-3),7:30pm
GPAC Volleyball Semifinals – Wednesday, November 11
Highest Seed Hosts
#4/#5 Winner vs. #1/#8 Winner, 7:30pm
#3/#6 Winner vs. #2/#7 Winner, 7:30pm
GPAC Volleyball Championship – Saturday, November 14
Semifinal Winners, At Highest Seed, Time TBA
