Complete Release (PDF)
Central Region Tournament Web site

MARSHALL, Minn. - The No. 13-ranked Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team (25-7) received the No. 2 seed in the Central Region and will meet No. 7 seed and No. 20-ranked Metro State (Colo.) (24-7)  in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at 12 p.m. in St. Paul, Minn.

Series record:  It will be just the third meeting between SMSU and MSC on Thursday and second in as many years.  The Mustangs are 1-1 against the Roadrunners all-time; the last time the two programs met was, coincidentally, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament last season.  In that contest, SMSU picked up a 3-1 win in St. Paul, Minn.

How they rank:  MSC enters Thursday's match ranked No. 20 in the latest AVCA national poll.  All but one of this year's teams in the Central Region Tournament are currently nationally ranked.

NCAA Tournament history:  SMSU will be making its sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and seventh overall on Thursday.  Besides the Mustangs' 2001 bid to the region tournament, all of SMSU's appearances have been under head coach Terry Culhane.  From 2004 to 2009, Culhane has advanced to the region quarterfinals three times and the region semifinals twice.  In the NCAA Tournament, SMSU has posted a 3-6 record.  Culhane is 3-5 in NCAA Tournament play.

Follow the Mustangs online:  Host Concordia University, St. Paul has set up a Web page that features the tournament schedule, scores, stats, game recaps and photos.  Just log onto www.cugoldenbears.com/volleyball.  Live statistics and live video will also be available.

Big-match experience:  Despite a squad that is quite young, SMSU has a handful of players who have experience playing in the postseason.   Of the Mustangs' 16 players, half of them have been members of team that has played in the NCAA Tournament.

Final standings:  The Mustangs finished the regular season fourth in the final NSIC standings, falling in behind Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota State and Wayne State.  SMSU has had top-four finishes in every season since 2003, peaking with runner-up honors in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008.

Last weekend:  SMSU finished the regular season with a pair of sweeps, posting 3-0 wins over Mary and Northern State last weekend.  The victories extended the Mustangs' win streak to six matches and 18 sets.

All-NSIC accolades:  The NSIC announced last week its all-conference selections for the 2009 season.  Among the honorees were three Mustangs, including Devin Diedrich (Braham, Minn.), Mary Groth (West Bend, Wis.) and Kenzie Niesche (Chaska, Minn.).  Diedrich and Groth landed on the All-NSIC squad, while Niesche was on the honorable selection team.  The honors did not stop there for Groth; the rookie was also named the NSIC Freshman of the Year.  This marks the second straight year SMSU has had the freshman of the year as Diedrich picked up the honor in 2008.

Region rankings:  The final Central Region rankings of 2009 determined seedings for the upcoming region tournament.  SMSU managed to climb one spot and move ahead of Nebraska-Kearney.  Here's how things went down on Sunday night:
    1.    Concordia-St. Paul
    2.    Southwest Minnesota State
    3.    Nebraska-Kearney
    4.    Wayne State (Neb.)
    5.    Minnesota State, Mankato
    6.    Minnesota Duluth
    7.    Metro State (Colo.)
    8.    Colorado School of Mines

National news:  SMSU stayed at No. 13 in the latest AVCA Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll released on Nov. 16.  The Mustangs received 415 points in the poll. NSIC neighbor Concordia University, St. Paul retained the top spot in the poll.  Five NSIC teams found their way into this week's rankings.
The coach:  Terry Culhane returns for his sixth season as the head man of Mustang volleyball, and his name might as well be synonymous with success.  The SMSU alum has yet to encounter a losing season or one that he hasn't made the NCAA Tournament.  Culhane boasts a 154-48 record at SMSU.  He is assisted by Jessica Petersen, Paul Soupir, Mike Dalager, Katie Gangelhoff and Raftyn Rignell.

According to the coaches:  The NSIC's 14 head coaches tabbed SMSU fifth in their annual preseason poll.  The Mustangs received 125 points in the poll.  Concordia University, St. Paul, national champions for the past two seasons, was selected first for the sixth consecutive season with 169 points and 13 first-place votes.  Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State and Wayne State fell in ahead of SMSU.  MSU received one first-place vote.
        Team (first place votes)    Points
    1.    Concordia-St. Paul (13)    169
    2.     Minnesota Duluth    145
    3.     Minnesota State (1)    143
    4.     Wayne State    128
    5.     Southwest Minnesota State    125
    6.     Augustana    122
    7.     Minnesota State Moorhead    99   
    8.     Winona State    82
    9.     St. Cloud State    65
    10.     Northern State    64
    11.     Bemidji State    44
    12.     Minnesota, Crookston    43
    13.     Upper Iowa    26
    14.     Mary    23

Stay connected:  Stay connected with SMSU volleyball all season long at www.smsumustangs.com.  The Mustangs are also on Facebook and Twitter; just log onto www.facebook.com/smsumustangs and www.twitter.com/smsumustangs.  For the latest video highlights and new episodes of the Mustang Minute check out SMSU's official YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/smsuathletics.

We'll do it live!:  Live statistics for all of SMSU's home games can be viewed by logging onto www.smsumustangs.com and following the live stats link on the right side of the volleyball home page.

Let's see it:  All NSIC volleyball matches are video broadcast live and free of charge on the Penn Atlantic Network.  Check out www.northernsun.tv to learn more.