Sioux City, Iowa — Hastings College will be the number one seed when the 2016 Cypress Risk Management Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Volleyball Tournament opens on Tuesday, November 8 The Broncos and Midland University were the regular season co-champions after going 14-2 in conference play. Midland University will be the two seed after GPAC tiebreakers were applied. Hastings was 24-2 overall while the Warriors were 23-3.
The third seed goes to Dordt College who went 13-3 in the GPAC and was 21-6 overall. The fourth seed is Doane who went 11-5 in the league and 22-7 overall. The top four seeds will host quarterfinal round matches on Tuesday night at 7:30 pm.
The remaining seeds will be #5 Northwestern, #6 Morningside, #7 Concordia, and #8 Briar Cliff. Five of the eight teams participating in the tournament were either ranked or receiving votes in the latest NAIA Poll.
Quarterfinal round play will begin on Tuesday, November 8th, at the four highest seeds. The semifinals are on Thursday, November 10, with the Championship on Saturday, November 12.
Hastings will receive the GPAC regular season automatic berth to the 2016 NAIA National Volleyball Championship. The Cypress Risk Management GPAC Volleyball Tournament winner (runner-up if Hastings were to win) also receives an automatic berth to the NAIA National Volleyball Championship.
The 2016 NAIA Volleyball National Championship includes a field of 44 teams. Twenty-four teams will compete in 12 opening round matches played on campus sites nationwide on November 19. The top 19 seeds and final site host (TBA) receive an opening round bye. Opening round winners will join the top 19 and host at the final site for a 32-team pool play tournament.
GPAC Volleyball Quarterfinals – Tuesday, November 8
Records listed as (Overall, GPAC)
#8 Briar Cliff (12-5, 5-11) at #1 Hastings(24-2, 14-2), 7:30pm
#5 Northwestern (18-16,10-6) at #4 Doane(22-7,11-5), 7:30pm
#6 Morningside(19-12, 8-8) at #3 Dordt(21-6, 13-3), 7:30pm
#7 Concordia(15-18, 6-10) at #2 Midland (23-3, 14-2),7:30pm
GPAC Volleyball Semifinals – Thursday, November 10 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 12
Semifinal Winners, At Highest Seed, Time TBA
