MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama State’s volleyball team has known since their Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship they would be playing in the NCAA Tournament; they just didn’t know where and now they do.
ASU will play in the Los Angeles Regional and will open regional play when they travel to Seattle, Washington, where they will face the Huskies of Washington Friday, Dec. 6. The game is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CT (10:30 p.m. ET). The Huskies are the third overall seed in the tournament.
“It was exciting (to see ASU’s name on the screen) and it’s the start of a new era for Alabama State,” Head Coach Penny Lucas-White said. “I think Washington is fine, we took the girls to play against Washington State last year. I’ve seen the product Jim McLaughlin (UW’s Head Coach) puts out on the court. But hey, we are going out to play we are in it to win it.”
ASU received the SWAC’s automatic berth and will enter the tournament with a 25-15 overall record. The Lady Hornets finished undefeated in conference play at 8-0.
Like ASU, Washington won the PAC-12’s automatic tourney berth with their conference title. It was the third title in the history of their program. They enter the tournament the third ranked team in the nation and carry a 26-2 overall record. They finished PAC-12 conference action with an 18-2 record.
Washington will not be the first team from the west coast the Lady Hornets have faced this season. They faced Arizona State earlier in the season at Arizona State’s tournament and they were ranked 18th in the nation at the time.
“I think facing Arizona State early in the year will help our ladies tremendously,” Lucas-White said. “It’s the whole reason for the preseason and that is to prepare for post season. So I think it can do nothing but benefit us.”
The Lady Hornets will fly to Seattle Wednesday to begin preparations for the first round match up.
