Colorado State University Athletics
CSU volleyball to open NCAA tournament vs. Oregon
11/27/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 27, 2011
By Nic Hallisey
Athletic Media Relations
Full 2011 NCAA tournament bracket
FORT COLLINS, Colo.--The Colorado State women's volleyball team will be competing in its 17th consecutive NCAA tournament, and the road to the Final Four begins in Honolulu, Hawaii. Announced Sunday afternoon on ESPNU, the Rams will play the Oregon Ducks Thursday in the first round of the tournament.
"I like going there and playing," Head Coach Tom Hilbert said. "I think it's fun and challenging for our team. It's a great environment, and really, it's the kind of environment that we can step up and play with."
Also in CSU's side of the bracket are Northern Colorado and No. 10 seed and host Hawaii. With a win Thursday at 5 p.m. Hawaii-Aleutian time (8 p.m. MT) against Oregon, the Rams (23-5) will take on the advancing team between Northern Colorado and Hawaii. That match will be played on Friday at 7 p.m. local time (10 p.m. MT).
Oregon (21-9) finished sixth in the Pac-12 and is ranked No. 13 in the most recent AVCA Coach's Top-25 Poll. Hawaii (26-1) is ranked No. 3 nationally, receiving five first-place votes, while Northern Colorado (22-8) earned a trip to the tournament by winning the Big Sky tournament on Saturday.
"Oregon's very good," Hilbert said. "Our first goal is to beat the Oregon Ducks. They're a good team, they're talented physically. They've won some big matches this year. But also, they're a team that's had its ups and downs. They're not impossible to beat. We're physically going to match up with them well. I expect that to be a competitive match, especially since it's on a neutral court."
The Rams and Ducks have faced just one time previously, a 2-1 Oregon win in 1984. CSU is 15-6--winning 10 consecutive--against Northern Colorado, and is 0-7 against Hawaii, last meeting in 2007.
"I think Hawaii is good," Hilbert said. "But of all the top-16 seeded teams, they come from a conference similar to ours, and it's a match I think we can compete well in."
CSU has struggled in Hawaii's arena, annually known as the nation's toughest venue to play in, going 0-9 all-time in matches played at Hawaii, including 0-2 in NCAA tournament matches.
Overall, however, CSU is 21-22 in NCAA tournament matches, winning its first-round match each of the last four years, and advancing to the Sweet 16 five times in the program's 22 prior trips.
CSU has received 150 tickets for purchase, and fans interested in cheering on the Rams in Hawaii should purchase tickets by Tuesday at the McGraw Athletic Center ticket office, over the phone at 1-800/491-RAMS or online at www.CSURams.com.
A full NCAA tournament bracket is available for download at the top of this page.