The University of Wisconsin volleyball team (21-10) travels to G. Rollie White Coliseum today for its first-round match at 5 p.m. against No. 21 Arizona (17-14) in the NCAA tournament.
The Badgers were hoping to host their opening match for the fourth consecutive year, but a late-season skid cemented their postseason trip to College Station, Texas.
\I can never predict the NCAA tournament pairings,"" Head Coach Pete Waite said. ""It's hard to understand why some people host. I actually thought we might stay and have to play against a Big Ten team-maybe Minnesota or at Illinois. But we're traveling now; that surprises me.""
In its eighth consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament, Wisconsin will face the Wildcats for the first time in team history. Arizona tied for fifth in the strong Pacific-10 with the help of sophomore outside hitter Kim Glass. Glass ranks tenth in the nation with 5.63 kills per game.
""This is a chance to go against a great team,"" Waite said. ""Arizona is an awesome team and they play in the Pac-10, which is very, very tough this year. They have Kim Glass, who has had an amazing career, and she's only a sophomore. She's going to be a key to stop.""
Fortunately, the Badgers have many skilled players of their own. Three players earned Big Ten postseason honors this week, led by junior outside hitter Jill Odenthal on the all-Big Ten team. Senior setter Morgan Shields earned all-Big Ten honorable mention, and middle blocker Amy Bladow was named to the all-freshman conference team.
The Pac-10 proved its power this season by placing four teams in the nation's top eight, but the Big Ten may be the deeper conference; it leads the nation with seven schools in the tournament.
""That says a lot for the strength of the Big Ten,"" Waite said. ""This was one of those years where we all beat up on each other. Even the conference champion, Penn State, had more losses than any champion in the past. I think that has us ready to go in tournament play. We've seen some tough teams and nothing will really bother us.""
No. 10 Penn State (28-4) will host first and second-round matches. No. 17 Minnesota (22-10), No. 18 Illinois (24-6) and Michigan State (19-11) will likewise play their first-round matches at home. Michigan (20-11) and Northwestern (18-14), like Wisconsin, will have to take its teams on the road.
""It's kind of a nice, fresh start,"" Waite said, ""because in Big Ten play, you know each other so well. You know their tendencies and you can stop them in those things and there's huge rivalries. This is something that's totally new and fresh so it's exciting for our team that they haven't seen.""
Texas A&M (21-9) will host Nicholls State (18-14) at 7 p.m. in other first-round action. The two first-round winners will face off Saturday at 7 p.m. to earn a trip to regional competition Dec. 12 and 13 in Lincoln, Neb.
