2021 Women's NIVC Bracket Released

After stepping aside last year because of COVID-19 concerns, the National Invitational Volleyball Championship is back, with tournament officials announcing Sunday the 31 teams that will make up the field, along with first-round locations, matchups and game times.This is the fourth edition of the NIVC since its reboot through Triple Crown Sports; the event previously ran from 1989-95. Previous champions of the current NIVC are Georgia Tech (2019), Iowa State (2018) and Ole Miss (2017).The 2021 NIVC features Round 1 and 2 action from Dec. 2-5, with Round 3 scheduled for Dec. 6-8. The semifinals will be held Dec. 8-11, and the championship match be played Dec. 12-14.2021 NIVC BracketHere is the 2021 NIVC field of teams:Automatic Qualifiers:Arkansas (19-10) – Southeastern ConferenceColorado State (18-10) – Mountain West Conference*Delaware State (26-4) – Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference*Houston Baptist (21-8) – Southland ConferenceJackson State (17-13) – Southwestern Athletic Conference*Pacific (13-16) – West Coast Conference​Sam Houston State (18-9) – Western Athletic Conference*UConn (21-10) – Big East ConferenceUTEP (21-7) – Conference USAWeber State (20-9) – Big Sky Conference**Denotes conference regular season championAt-Large Teams:Arizona (16-15) – Pac-12 ConferenceBradley (16-14) – Missouri Valley ConferenceBoston College (16-16) – Atlantic Coast ConferenceButler (16-15) – Big East ConferenceChicago State (17-10) – Western Athletic ConferenceCSU Bakersfield (18-10) – Big West ConferenceEvansville (19-11) – Missouri Valley ConferenceIndiana State (18-12) – Missouri Valley ConferenceMiddle Tennessee (9-11) – Conference USANew Mexico State (19-9) – Western Athletic ConferenceNorth Carolina A&T (20-10) – Big South ConferenceNorth Florida (24-7) – Atlantic Sun ConferencePortland State (19-10) – Big Sky ConferenceStephen F. Austin (18-9) – Western Athletic ConferenceTroy (17-12) – Sun Belt ConferenceTulsa (14-15) – American Athletic ConferenceToledo (19-12) – Mid-American ConferenceUNC Greensboro (23-7) – Southern ConferenceUNLV (23-9) – Mountain West ConferenceUniv. Texas Rio Grande Valley (17-10) – Western Athletic ConferenceValparaiso (22-9) – Missouri Valley ConferenceHere are the first- and second-round matchups, in bracket order:(Home team listed second)‍Dec. 3 at Stephen F. AustinArkansas (bye)Jackson State vs. Stephen F. Austin, 7:30 ETDec. 4: Arkansas vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m. ETDec. 3 at ArizonaNew Mexico State vs. UNLV, 5 p.m. ETUTRGV vs. Arizona, 8 p.m. ETDec. 4: Winners, 6 p.m. ETDec. 3 at Weber StatePacific vs. Portland State, 5 p.m. ETCSU Bakersfield vs. Weber State, 8 p.m. ETDec. 4: Winners, 4 p.m. ETDec. 2 at Colorado StateTulsa vs. UTEP, 7 p.m. ETHouston Baptist vs. Colorado State, 9:30 p.m. ETDec. 3: Winners, 9 p.m. ETDec. 2 at Chicago StateEvansville vs. Sam Houston, 6 p.m. ETBradley vs. Chicago State, 8:30 p.m. ETDec. 3: Winners, 8 p.m. ETDec. 2 at ValparaisoToledo vs. Indiana State, 5 p.m. ETButler vs. Valparaiso, 8 p.m. ETDec. 3: Winners, 7 p.m. ETDec 3 at TroyUNC Greensboro vs. North Florida, 5 p.m. ETMiddle Tennessee vs. Troy, 7:30 p.m. ETDec. 4: Winners, 2 p.m. ETDec. 4 at Boston CollegeDelaware State vs. Boston College, 4 p.m. ETNorth Carolina A&T vs. UConn, 7 p.m. ETDec. 5: Winners, 4 p.m. ET“With the explosive growth of volleyball, and how the maturing club scene has allowed dozens of D-I programs to raise the bar of excellence in recruiting, it only makes sense to add to the postseason options in the college game,” said NIVC director Jared Rudiger. “Teams will chase an NIVC title as a reward for experienced rosters, or to provide a true learning experience for young players when it comes to the demands of the postseason.”AboutTriple Crown SportsBased in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for 40 years. TCS runs both the preseason and postseason WNIT basketball events and produces the men’s and women’s DI Cancun Challenge tournaments in November. Triple Crown is also powering “WNIT” concept events in D-I softball (NISC) and volleyball (NIVC), with those two events debuting in 2017. Triple Crown’s PV College Challenge features 8-10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX.