With the Sunday NCAA Division I selection show looming, the volleyball teams at Northern Colorado and Colorado State need wins in their league’s post-season tournaments since both conferences usually receive one spot in the national championships.
After capturing the regular-season title, Northern Colorado (14-2, 25-6) is the top seed in the Big Sky Conference post-season tournament. The Bears meet host Sacramento State in “The Nest” on Friday at 8 p.m.
Northern Colorado advanced to the title match after posting 3-2 wins over eighth-seeded Montana State on Wednesday in the quarterfinals and fourth-seeded Weber State in the semifinals on Thursday.
The Bears split a pair of matches with Sacramento State by defeating the Hornets 3-2 in “The Nest” on October 12 and losing 3-0 in Greeley on November 7.
UNC is playing in its tenth Big Sky post-season title match, including five appearances in the last six campaigns. The Bears hold a 7-2 record in title matches, including three in their previous four. They won the championship in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2021 and 2022, finishing as the runner-up in 2010 and 2020. UNC has won or tied for the title of Big Sky regular season seven times.
Colorado State (14-4, 18-10) had a first-round bye in the Mountain West Conference post-season event in Las Vegas after winning the regular-season title. The Rams will play fifth-seeded San Diego State in the semi-finals on Friday at 2 p.m.
The winner of that match meets second-seeded San Jose State in the finals on Saturday at 3 p.m. The Spartans advanced after Boise State forfeited its semi-final appearance.
CSU has won five MWC post-season titles and lost to Fresno State 3-2 in the 2023 championship match at UNLV.
