BATON ROUGE – The LSU volleyball team secured the No. 13 national seed and its sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance with an at-large selection as the 64-team field was announced Sunday on ESPNews.
LSU (25-4, 16-4 SEC) squares off with Tulsa (30-2, 20-0 C-USA) at Oklahoma’s McCasland FieldHouse as part of the NCAA Norman Regional, which begins Friday at 5 p.m. CT. The winner advances to face either Oklahoma (21-10, 13-7 Big 12) or Wichita State (21-7, 14-4 MVC) Saturday at 2 p.m. for the right to advance to the Sweet 16 in University Park, Pa hosted by Penn State.
“We’re really excited and certainly glad that the committee felt our season merited a top 16 seed,” head coach Fran Flory said. “I think our team did a really great job at the end of the season of focusing forward and truly preparing for the NCAA Tournament. Our team is very ready and excited for the NCAA’s. We have a lot of respect for our programs that are in our bracket and the players that will be across the net from us.”
LSU is one of only 18 programs to earn a spot in the last six NCAA Tournaments as the Tigers racked up their sixth straight SEC Western Division crown and earned an overall second place finish in the SEC standings during the regular season.
Tulsa, ranked No. 23 in the latest edition of the AVCA Top 25 poll, carries the nation’s longest winning streak at 29 matches dating back to the opening weekend of the season. Tyler Henderson not only paces Conference USA but the nation with 6.23 kills per set on a .349 hitting percentage.
The Golden Hurricane also has a trio of players in Kelsey Hancock, Diana Silva and Hannah Stout chipping in over two kills per frame. Defensively, Jessica Adams has sprawled out for 4.68 digs per set.
“Having to match-up with Tulsa and Tyler Henderson in the first round is tough,” Flory said. “At this point, everyone is playing for the end of their season. Tulsa is a very talented team. The bottom line is we want to play our best, and we’ll be ready to take our shot at them.”
Live stats for Friday’s match from Norman, Okla. will be available on LSUsports.net
NCAA Norman Regional
First Round – Friday, December 3
No. 13 LSU vs. Tulsa – 5 p.m.
Oklahoma vs. Wichita State – 7:30 p.m.
Second Round – Saturday, December 4
No. 13 LSU/Tulsa vs. Oklahoma/Wichita State – 2 p.m.
LSU IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Overall Record: 12-11 (.522)
Best Finish: Final Four (1990 & 1991)
1986
FIRST ROUND – BATON ROUGE, LA.
defeated Arizona 15-12, 5-15, 15-12, 12-15, 15-9
SOUTH REGIONAL – AUSTIN, TEXAS
defeated Texas-Arlington 15-7, 15-5, 15-9
lost to Texas 3-15, 11-15, 13-15
1987
FIRST ROUND – GAINESVILLE, FLA.
lost to Florida 10-15, 15-7, 10-15, 15-10, 10-15
1989
FIRST ROUND – BATON ROUGE, LA.
defeated Houston 13-15, 15-12, 8-15, 15-7, 15-3
SOUTH REGIONAL – AUSTIN, TEXAS
lost to Texas-Arlington 15-13, 15-11, 11-15, 13-15, 5-15
1990
FIRST ROUND – BATON ROUGE, LA.
defeated Louisville 15-9, 15-1, 15-7
SOUTH REGIONAL – AUSTIN, TEXAS
defeated Texas Tech 15-11, 15-12, 15-5
defeated Texas 8-15, 4-15, 15-10, 15-11, 17-15
FINAL FOUR – COLLEGE PARK, MD.
lost to UCLA 13-15, 10-15, 6-15
1991
FIRST ROUND – BATON ROUGE, LA.
defeated Houston 15-5, 15-5, 16-14
SOUTH REGIONAL – BATON ROUGE, LA.
defeated Texas Tech 15-6, 15-7, 15-10
defeated Florida 15-10, 15-10, 12-15, 15-13
FINAL FOUR – LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
lost to Long Beach State 13-15, 15-6, 10-15, 13-15
1992
FIRST ROUND – LUBBOCK, TEXAS
defeated Texas Tech 15-7, 15-8, 15-5
SOUTH REGIONAL – GAINESVILLE, FLA.
lost to Texas 9-15, 15-13, 12-15, 4-15
2005
FIRST ROUND – AUSTIN, TEXAS
lost to Texas, 19-30, 28-30, 26-30
2006
FIRST ROUND – SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.
lost to California, 30-25, 23-30, 17-30, 16-30
2007
FIRST & SECOND ROUND – AUSTIN, TEXAS
defeated New Mexico State, 30-25, 21-30, 21-30, 30-27, 15-13
lost to Texas, 21-30, 22-30, 23-30
2008
FIRST ROUND – LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
lost to UCLA, 19-25, 25-22, 20-25, 20-25
2009
FIRST & SECOND ROUND – BATON ROUGE, LA.
defeated Tulane, 25-15, 25-12, 25-15
lost to Texas A&M, 25-18, 24-26, 25-23, 23-25, 10-15