Friday, December 6
Seattle, WA
7:30 PM
University of Washington
vs
Winthrop
Huskies Start NCAAs Friday Hosting Winthrop
December 04, 2019 | Volleyball
THIS WEEK IN HUSKY VOLLEYBALL
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS • 1ST AND 2ND ROUNDS
ALASKA AIRLINES ARENA • SEATTLE
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 • FIRST ROUND
Colorado State vs. South Carolina • 5 pm | Live Video
(8) Washington hosts Winthrop • 7:30 pm | Live Video
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 • SECOND ROUND
Winner Match 1 vs Winner Match 2 • 7 pm | Live Video
SEATTLE – After a brief one-year absence, NCAA Championship action returns to Alaska Airlines Arena this week as the eighth-seeded Huskies begin their postseason run at home. Washington (24-6, 15-5 Pac-12) is one of sixteen teams hosting first and second round matches this weekend, as Winthrop, Colorado State, and South Carolina round out the sub-regional field.
The first round is this Friday, Dec. 6, with Colorado State and South Carolina starting at 5 p.m. and then the Huskies will take on the Eagles of Winthrop at 7:30 p.m. Saturday's second round match is set for 7 p.m. A live video stream for all matches will be available on GoHuskies.com.
The Huskies are making their 18th consecutive tournament appearance, a run that started in 2002, and are hosting the first and second rounds for the seventh time in the past eight years. Last season the Huskies had to travel, but still advanced to the Round of 16 for the sixth time in the last seven years.
With largely the same roster returning from a year ago, the Huskies took significant strides this season under fifth-year Head Coach Keegan Cook. Washington improved by five games in the Pac-12, going from sixth a year ago to second-place this year. The Dawgs also had several marquee wins, defeating No. 3-seed Stanford as well as earning back-to-back wins, home and away, over No. 4-seed Wisconsin. Overall, the Huskies were 10-6 against eventual NCAA tournament teams.
Winthrop (24-4, 14-0 Big South) captured the Big South Conference tourney title with a sweep of Campbell in the title match. It's the first Big South crown for Winthrop since 2006 and the sixth in program history. Senior setter Siani Yamaguchi was named tournament MVP and conference Player of the Year and junior middle Morgan Bossler and junior outside hitter Nikkia Benitez also earned All-Tourney honors. Benitez averages 3.00 kills per set while Bossler averages 2.71 on a .331 attack percentage. Chuck Rey was named Big South Coach of the Year for the second-straight season. Washington and Winthrop have never met.
Colorado State is one of just seven teams with a longer NCAA tourney streak than the Huskies, as the Rams are making their 25th consecutive appearance. Last year the Rams lost a tough five-setter in the first round against Tennessee. The Mountain West Champs, CSU went 18-0 in league play and come into NCAAs at 29-1 overall, having won 28 matches in a row. The Rams were 3-1 against Pac-12 teams, defeating Oregon State, Colorado home and away, but falling to Cal in the first week of the season. Senior setter Katie Oleksak won Mountain West Player of the Year for the third year in a row. Senior middle blockers Kirstie Hiller and Paulina Hougaard-Jensen were also named All-Mountain West, as was junior outside hitter Breana Runnels. Tom Hilbert was named Coach of the Year for the 12th time. The Huskies and Rams have played four times in the NCAA tourney, with the Huskies winning in 2002, 2005, and 2006, but Colorado State winning the last meeting in Fort Collins in 2009.
South Carolina was one of six teams to make the tournament out of the SEC. The Gamecocks went 19-11 on the season and 11-7 in conference play. This is the ninth NCAA appearance for USC and first back-to-back appearances since 2001-02. Last year, the Gamecocks upended Colorado in the NCAA first round before falling to No. 2 Minnesota in round two. South Carolina is hitting .264 as a team and allowing a .210 mark. Senior outside hitter Mikayla Shields has over 1,500 career kills and leads the team with 3.58 per set this season, hitting an impressive .324, plus 40 aces. Another Mikayla, Mikayla Robinson, hits a team-high .338 with 2.42 kills per set and 1.24 blocks per set. Courtney Koehler sets the team with 9.08 assists per set. Shields and Robinson were both named All-SEC. Tom Mendoza is in his second season coaching the Gamecocks. Washington won the only meeting with South Carolina, back in 1998.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS • 1ST AND 2ND ROUNDS
ALASKA AIRLINES ARENA • SEATTLE
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 • FIRST ROUND
Colorado State vs. South Carolina • 5 pm | Live Video
(8) Washington hosts Winthrop • 7:30 pm | Live Video
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 • SECOND ROUND
Winner Match 1 vs Winner Match 2 • 7 pm | Live Video
SEATTLE – After a brief one-year absence, NCAA Championship action returns to Alaska Airlines Arena this week as the eighth-seeded Huskies begin their postseason run at home. Washington (24-6, 15-5 Pac-12) is one of sixteen teams hosting first and second round matches this weekend, as Winthrop, Colorado State, and South Carolina round out the sub-regional field.
The first round is this Friday, Dec. 6, with Colorado State and South Carolina starting at 5 p.m. and then the Huskies will take on the Eagles of Winthrop at 7:30 p.m. Saturday's second round match is set for 7 p.m. A live video stream for all matches will be available on GoHuskies.com.
The Huskies are making their 18th consecutive tournament appearance, a run that started in 2002, and are hosting the first and second rounds for the seventh time in the past eight years. Last season the Huskies had to travel, but still advanced to the Round of 16 for the sixth time in the last seven years.
With largely the same roster returning from a year ago, the Huskies took significant strides this season under fifth-year Head Coach Keegan Cook. Washington improved by five games in the Pac-12, going from sixth a year ago to second-place this year. The Dawgs also had several marquee wins, defeating No. 3-seed Stanford as well as earning back-to-back wins, home and away, over No. 4-seed Wisconsin. Overall, the Huskies were 10-6 against eventual NCAA tournament teams.
Winthrop (24-4, 14-0 Big South) captured the Big South Conference tourney title with a sweep of Campbell in the title match. It's the first Big South crown for Winthrop since 2006 and the sixth in program history. Senior setter Siani Yamaguchi was named tournament MVP and conference Player of the Year and junior middle Morgan Bossler and junior outside hitter Nikkia Benitez also earned All-Tourney honors. Benitez averages 3.00 kills per set while Bossler averages 2.71 on a .331 attack percentage. Chuck Rey was named Big South Coach of the Year for the second-straight season. Washington and Winthrop have never met.
Colorado State is one of just seven teams with a longer NCAA tourney streak than the Huskies, as the Rams are making their 25th consecutive appearance. Last year the Rams lost a tough five-setter in the first round against Tennessee. The Mountain West Champs, CSU went 18-0 in league play and come into NCAAs at 29-1 overall, having won 28 matches in a row. The Rams were 3-1 against Pac-12 teams, defeating Oregon State, Colorado home and away, but falling to Cal in the first week of the season. Senior setter Katie Oleksak won Mountain West Player of the Year for the third year in a row. Senior middle blockers Kirstie Hiller and Paulina Hougaard-Jensen were also named All-Mountain West, as was junior outside hitter Breana Runnels. Tom Hilbert was named Coach of the Year for the 12th time. The Huskies and Rams have played four times in the NCAA tourney, with the Huskies winning in 2002, 2005, and 2006, but Colorado State winning the last meeting in Fort Collins in 2009.
South Carolina was one of six teams to make the tournament out of the SEC. The Gamecocks went 19-11 on the season and 11-7 in conference play. This is the ninth NCAA appearance for USC and first back-to-back appearances since 2001-02. Last year, the Gamecocks upended Colorado in the NCAA first round before falling to No. 2 Minnesota in round two. South Carolina is hitting .264 as a team and allowing a .210 mark. Senior outside hitter Mikayla Shields has over 1,500 career kills and leads the team with 3.58 per set this season, hitting an impressive .324, plus 40 aces. Another Mikayla, Mikayla Robinson, hits a team-high .338 with 2.42 kills per set and 1.24 blocks per set. Courtney Koehler sets the team with 9.08 assists per set. Shields and Robinson were both named All-SEC. Tom Mendoza is in his second season coaching the Gamecocks. Washington won the only meeting with South Carolina, back in 1998.
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